From vector to vertebrate: immune modulation across the arboviral and zoonotic transmission cycle

Arboviral infections, transmitted primarily by mosquitoes and ticks, represent a growing global health burden driven by climate change, urbanization, and expanding vector habitats. Beyond classical arthropod vectors, non-traditional transmission routes, including those mediated by bats and other wildlife reservoirs, are increasingly recognized as critical drivers of viral emergence and spillover into human populations. Viruses such as flaviviruses, alphaviruses, bunyaviruses, and tick-borne encephalitis viruses must successfully navigate immunologically distinct environments across their transmission cycles. Transmission is not a passive event; arthropod saliva and reservoir host-derived factors actively modulate early immune responses, shaping viral establishment and dissemination. Increasing evidence suggests that immune interactions occurring at the vector–host or reservoir-host interface critically influence disease severity and protective immunity. Understanding these cross-species immune dynamics is essential for developing next-generation vaccines and therapeutic interventions.This Research Topic aims to provide a comprehensive and integrative view of immune modulation across the entire arboviral and zoonotic transmission cycle, from vector and reservoir immunity to vertebrate host responses. While significant advances have been made in understanding antiviral signaling pathways and immunopathology, the immunological events occurring at the earliest stages of transmission remain underexplored, particularly in the context of non-arthropod reservoir hosts such as bats. In particular, the interplay between vector- or reservoir-derived factors, skin-resident immune cells, innate sensing pathways, and subsequent adaptive immune responses requires deeper investigation.We seek to bridge gaps between traditionally separate research fields—vector biology, reservoir host immunology, and vertebrate immunology—by highlighting mechanistic insights into how arboviruses exploit immune pathways across multiple hosts. Recent advances in single-cell technologies, spatial transcriptomics, systems immunology, and in vivo imaging now allow detailed characterization of early immune events at the transmission interface and systemic immune evolution. By integrating findings across mosquito-borne, tick-borne, and bat-associated viruses, this Research Topic aims to identify shared and divergent immunological mechanisms that determine transmission efficiency, protection, and immunopathogenesis. Ultimately, these insights may inform strategies for vaccines, immune-targeted therapies, and vector- or reservoir-based interventions.We welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives addressing immune mechanisms across the arboviral and zoonotic transmission cycle, including but not limited to:• Vector innate immunity and antiviral pathways• Salivary immunomodulators and their effects on host immunity• Early skin immune responses at the vector bite site• Myeloid cell dynamics and tissue-specific immunity (skin, CNS, joints)• Adaptive immune responses and correlates of protection• Viral immune evasion strategies• Comparative immunology of mosquito-borne and tick-borne viruses• Viral tolerance mechanisms in reservoir hosts• Non-arthropod transmission routes and spillover immune dynamics• Systems immunology and multi-omics approaches in arboviral research• Implications for vaccine development and immunotherapeutic strategiesStudies integrating vector, viral, and host immune biology are particularly encouraged. Topic editors: Muddassar Hameed, Sébastien Nisole, ABDUL WAHAAB Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78646/from-vector-to-vertebrate-immune-modulation-across-the-arboviral-and-zoonotic-transmission-cycle