Challenges and Opportunities for Integrated Vector Management in Developing Countries: A Narrative Review with a Focus on Iran

Abstract

Background: Vector-borne diseases (VBDs), caused by pathogens transmitted through the bites of infected arthropod vectors, remain a major public health challenge in many developing countries. Environmental changes, urbanization, population mobility and health system limitations continue to sustain the transmission of these pathogens and the dis­eases they cause. Integrated Vector Management (IVM), recommended by the World Health Organization, provides a sustainable framework that combines evidence-based vector control interventions with surveillance, intersectoral col­laboration, and community participation. However, implementation of IVM remains inconsistent, particularly in re­source-limited settings.
Methods: This narrative review synthesized evidence from peer-reviewed literature indexed in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science, supplemented by WHO technical guidance documents and regional surveillance reports published be­tween 2000 and 2025. The review focused on IVM principles, implementation barriers, operational challenges and poli­cy opportunities, with particular emphasis on Iran.
Results: The review identified several interconnected barriers limiting effective IVM implementation, including unsta­ble financing, insufficient intersectoral coordination, gaps in entomological and epidemiological surveillance, limited community participation, inadequate technical capacity and increasing insecticide resistance. Evidence from Iran demonstrates substantial progress in malaria control while highlighting ongoing challenges related to leishmaniasis, emerging Aedes-borne disease risks, resistance management, and the need for stronger integration of environmental and surveillance systems.
Conclusion: Achieving sustainable reductions in VBD burden will depend on long-term commitment to integrated gov­ernance, resistance-informed decision-making, and context-specific strategies that enable countries such as Iran and other developing settings to build resilient vector control systems.