Abstract
A more rigorous and nuanced understanding of land-use change (LUC) as a driver of emerging infectious disease (EID) is required. Here we examine post hunter-gatherer LUC as a driver of infectious disease in one biogeographical region with a compressed and documented history—continental Australia. We do this by examining land-use and native vegetation change (LUCC) associations with infectious disease emergence identified through a systematic (1973–2010) and historical (1788–1973) review of infectious disease literature of humans and animals. We find that 22% (20) of the systematically reviewed EIDs are associated with LUCC, most frequently where natural landscapes have been removed or replaced with agriculture, plantations, livestock or urban development. Historical clustering of vector-borne, zoonotic and environmental disease emergence also follows major periods of extensive land clearing. These advanced stages of LUCC are accompanied by changes in the distribution and density of hosts and vectors, at varying scales and chronology. This review of infectious disease emergence in one continent provides valuable insight into the association between accelerated global LUC and concurrent accelerated infectious disease emergence.
Highlights
Land-use change (LUC) is reported to be a major driver of emerging infectious diseases (e.g., [1,2,3]).LUC, food production and agricultural change are reported to collectively account for almost half of all global zoonotic EIDs [3]
The review identified 267 papers and 48 grey records bearing on EIDs
After exclusions a total of 218 records remained with an initial total of 90 EIDs (59 diseases of humans (30 zoonotic) 12 diseases of domestic animals and 18 diseases of terrestrial wildlife) that met the criteria for emerging or reemerging diseases in Australia since 1973
Summary
Land-use change (LUC) is reported to be a major driver of emerging infectious diseases (e.g., [1,2,3]). LUC, food production and agricultural change are reported to collectively account for almost half of all global zoonotic EIDs [3]. There is some lack of consistency in the use this term, elsewhere defined as the management of land to meet human needs [4]. Such management includes agriculture, forestry, mining and all forms of urban and industrial use. A finer grained definition of LUC as a driver of EIDs is required to improve our understanding of these relationships and, our capacity to make land-use policy that optimises public health outcomes
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