biostudies-literatureNazareth TFundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia348-365https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7034073biostudies-literatureUnknown9(1)The release of modified mosquitoes to suppress/replace vectors constitutes a promising tool for vector control and disease prevention. Evidence regarding these innovative modification techniques is scarce and disperse. This work conducted a systematic review, gathering and analysing research articles from PubMed and Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde databases whose results report efficacy and non-target effects of using modified insects for disease prevention, until 2016. More than 1500 publications were screened and 349 were analysed. Only 12/3.4% articles reported field-based evidence and 41/11.7% covered modification strategies' post-release efficacy. Variability in the effective results (90/25.7%) questioned its reproducibility in different settings. We also found publications reporting reveEmerging microbes & infectionsWhat happens when we modify mosquitoes for disease prevention? A systematic review.PMC7034073PTDC/IVC – ESC T/2486/2014, UID/Multi/04413/2019, WARDEN – PTDC/SAU-PUB/30089/2017Moutinho ASeixas GCraveiro IGoncalves CTeodosio RSousa CANazareth TGoncalves LfalseWhat happens when we modify mosquitoes for disease prevention? A systematic review.The release of modified mosquitoes to suppress/replace vectors constitutes a promising tool for vector control and disease prevention. Evidence regarding these innovative modification techniques is scarce and disperse. This work conducted a systematic review, gathering and analysing research articles from PubMed and Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde databases whose results report efficacy and non-target effects of using modified insects for disease prevention, until 2016. More than 1500 publications were screened and 349 were analysed. Only 12/3.4% articles reported field-based evidence and 41/11.7% covered modification strategies' post-release efficacy. Variability in the effective results (90/25.7%) questioned its reproducibility in different settings. We also found publications reporting reve2020-01-01T00:00:00Z20202025-05-29T20:31:37.33Z2025-05-29T20:31:37.33ZS-EPMC70340733204148410.1080/22221751.2020.1722035