Diseases in edible insect rearing systems

Abstract

Due to a swift and continuous growth of the insect rearing industry during the last two decades, there is a need for a better understanding of insect diseases (caused by insect pathogens). In the insect production sector, insect diseases are a bottleneck for every type and scale of rearing system with different degrees of technology investment (i.e. semi-open rearing, closed rearing, industrial production, small-scale farming). In this paper, we provide an overview of insect pathogens that are causing disease in the most common insect species reared or collected for use in food and feed. We also include a few examples of diseases of insect species, which are not (yet) reported to be used as food or feed; those examples may increase our understanding of insect diseases in general and for the development of disease prevention and control measures. We pay special attention to the effect of selected biotic and abiotic factors as potential triggers of insect diseases. We discuss the effect of such factors in combination with other production variables on disease development and insect immunocompetence. Additionally, we touch upon prevention and control measures that have been carried out and suggested up to now for insect production systems. Finally, we point towards possible future research directions with possibilities to enhance the resilience of insect production to insect disease outbreaks.

Health of the black soldier fly and house fly under mass-rearing conditions: innate immunity and the role of the microbiome

“…being free of injury and diseases, is of paramount importance for production, as profit relies on it. Mass rearing of insects can lead to disease outbreaks in the production system (Maciel-Vergara et al, 2021). Many insect pathogens are known, and the diseases they cause have the potential to decimate insect populations (Maciel-Vergara et al, 2021).…”

Advancing edible insects as food and feed in a circular economy

“…Also, the development of strains resistant to pathogens should be considered, such as with viruses in crickets (De Miranda et al, 2021). In this special issue Maciel-Vergara et al (2021) review insect pathogens that are causing disease in the most common insect species reared or collected to be used as food or feed. For the prevention of diseases, they discuss biotic and abiotic factors that may potentially trigger insect diseases.…”

“…Optimising rearing processes Maciel-Vergara et al (2021) made several recommendations about disease management, such as having a clear understanding of the biology of insect pathogens and the interactions with their hosts and knowing the correlation between production variables and host-pathogen dynamics. They also stress that protocols need to be developed for the management, prevention, and control of diseases.…”

Active and Covert Infections of Cricket Iridovirus and Acheta domesticus Densovirus in Reared Gryllodes sigillatus Crickets

“…The demand for mass-produced insects is steadily increasing due to their utility with relatively low associated costs ( Wilkie, 2018 ); however, there are several obstacles that hinder farmed insects from becoming an extensively utilized resource, including a dearth of rigorous empirical data ( van Huis, 2017 ; Stull and Patz, 2020 ). Critical among these gaps is a lack of research on the entomopathogenic microbes that negatively impact reared insect colony health and production despite infectious disease outbreaks plaguing modern insect farms for decades ( Eilenberg et al, 2018 ; Maciel-Vergara et al, 2021 ). As with traditional animal livestock, farmed insects are susceptible to parasites and pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, microsporidia, and nematodes ( Kaya and Vega, 2012 ; Eilenberg et al, 2015 ).…”