Filariasis vector control down-played due to the belief the drugs will be enough – not true!

Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is one of the most important neglected infectious diseases worldwide, with more than 1.4 billion people living in endemic areas. World Health Organization launched a two-step Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) in 2000, consisting of two main pillars, interrupting the transmission and controlling mor-bidity. However, most efforts and guidelines to interrupt the transmission are based on preventive chemotherapy consisting of mass drug administration to treat entire populations in endemic areas, while the role of vector control operations remains marginal. Considering the diversity of LF vector species, Integrated Vector Management (IVM) tailored to local environments should be still considered an essential part of the effort to eliminate LF, thus must be included in the GPELF work plan. Developing reliable mosquito surveillance and control programs is crucial for controlling the spread of mosquito-borne diseases. Vectors and hosts are involved in the transmission cycle, and their ecology and behaviour drive the patterns of disease transmission. Furthermore, managing mosquito populations with proven integrated vector control methods adapted to local environments has proven to be the most effective approach to prevent and control mosquito-borne disease transmission. As critically discussed here, preventive chemotherapy should be coupled with IVM to attain the best possible epidemiological impact needed to eliminate LF across diverse endemic environments.