  Ross-Macdonald models are the building blocks of most vector-borne disease
models. Even for the same disease, different authors use different model
formulations, but a study of the dynamical consequences of assuming different
hypotheses is missing. In this work we present different formulations of the
basic Ross-Macdonald model together with a careful discussion of the
assumptions behind each model. The most general model presented is an agent
based model for which arbitrary distributions for latency and infectious
periods for both, host and vectors, is considered. At population level we also
developed a deterministic Volterra integral equations model for which also
arbitrary distributions in the waiting times are included. We compare the model
solutions using different distributions for the infectious and latency periods
using statistics, like the epidemic peak, or epidemic final size, to
characterize the epidemic curves. The basic reproduction number ($R_0$) for
each formulation is computed and compared with empirical estimations obtained
with the agent based models. The importance of considering realistic
distributions for the latent and infectious periods is highlighted and
discussed. We also show that seasonality is a key driver of vector-borne
disease dynamics shaping the epidemic curve and its duration.
