The Institut Pasteur, founded in 1887 by the visionary scientist Louis Pasteur, has long been at the forefront of infectious diseases research. With a global network spanning 25 countries, it has played a crucial role in combating epidemics, developing vaccines, and pioneering medical advancements. From rabies treatment to tackling emerging diseases, the Institut Pasteur remains a pillar of public health and biomedical innovation.
From March 24 to 26, 2025, the Open Medical Institute and the Institut Pasteur organized for the second time a seminar dealing with vector-borne diseases in Mexico City. Held at the unique Mexican Secretariat of Health, the event marked a significant partnership between OMI and the national health institution.
The seminar brought together 55 participants from Brazil, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, France, and Mexico, all eager to expand their expertise on vector-borne diseases. This topic is of particular relevance today, as Latin America faces an alarming rise in illnesses spread by mosquitoes, ticks, and other vectors. As highlighted in the book Le moustique, ennemi public n° 1? (2022), in which the seminar’s remarkable course director, Anna-Bella Failloux, is featured as co-author, mosquitoes are among the deadliest creatures to humans, responsible for the spread of numerous diseases.
Diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and Zika continue to pose serious health threats in the region. According to recent reports, dengue cases in the Americas reached over 12.8 million in 2024, marking an all-time high (Wilke; Farina; Ajelli, 2025). Additionally, the Oropouche virus – a mosquito-borne disease previously confined to the Amazon – has begun spreading, with over 11,000 cases reported last year in Brazil and Peru, and even imported cases detected in the United States and Europe (Wired, 2024).
To address these pressing challenges, the seminar featured a unique faculty of experts in the field: Anna-Bella Failloux, professor of medical entomology of the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France; Jérôme Depaquit, full professor of parasitology and head of the research unit on Epidemic, Surveillance, and Circulation of Parasites in the Environment (ESCAPE) at the University of Reims, France; Nelson Grisales, director of field entomology and delivery for Latin America at the World Mosquito Program in Medellín, Colombia; Jorge Méndez-Galván, division chief of infectious diseases at the Children’s Hospital Federico Gómez in Mexico City; and Eduardo A. Rebollar-Téllez, professor of biostatistics and vector studies at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, Mexico.
Throughout the three-day seminar, participants engaged in intensive discussions on the biology of disease vectors, epidemiological trends, and modern control strategies. Course director Anna-Bella Failloux stated the gravity of the issue:
“Each year, vector-borne diseases cause 2.7 million deaths, and mosquitoes kill 700,000 people. During this three-day course, lectures on the most important vector-borne diseases were presented by 5 teachers: vectors of arboviruses (dengue, chikungunya, Zika, yellow fever), vectors of parasites responsible for malaria, leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease, and tools for vector control.
I am always very happy to lead this course on vector-borne diseases in collaboration with the OMI. The seminar was held in the Ministry of Health of Mexico, which reflects the importance of this course and the honor that has been granted to us. There were 55 attendees, including 11 from the Pasteur Network. Their academic profiles were very different, making the discussions very rich. I really had a wonderful time, a peaceful interlude in the current anxious state of the world.”
The success of this seminar reaffirms the need for continuous collaboration between institutions, researchers, and healthcare professionals in tackling vector-borne diseases. By equipping participants with state-of-the-art knowledge and practical strategies, the event empowered them to act in their respective regions.
A special thanks goes to the faculty members for their invaluable contributions and to the Mexican Ministry of Health under the leadership of Dr. David Kershenobich for hosting the seminar, solidifying a partnership that will help strengthen Latin America’s response to vector-borne epidemics.
As the fight against these diseases continues, initiatives like this seminar remain crucial in shaping a healthier future for all.
