NAMS task force report on vector borne diseases

This study examines the relationship between climate change and public health in Haiti, a country already facing socioeconomic challenges. The well-being of Haiti’s vulnerable population is expected to be further affected by climate change, leading to an increase in vector-borne, water-borne, and heat-related diseases. As one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change effects, Haiti is currently experiencing an increase in vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and chikungunya, as well as water-borne diseases and emerging zoonotic outbreaks. This study aims to improve planning, decision-making, and responses to public health challenges by utilizing health data, climatic information, and impact models. The methodology involves the creation of a comprehensive climate and health database to uncover detailed spatial-temporal relationships on a national scale. By evaluating disease indicators from historical periods (1950-2014) and future projections (2015-2100) using the Shared Socio-Economic Pathways (SSPs) from the multi-model ensemble mean of the CMIP6 models, target diseases, including malaria, meningitis, dengue, and heat-sensitive chronic diseases are assessed. Our results highlight a decrease in rainfall and a strong increase in temperatures, especially within western Haiti under the extreme SSP585 scenario. The ability of the impact models to simulate the seasonality and spatial distribution of malaria incidence, dengue and heatwaves was performed. The analysis of risks related to climate-sensitive diseases’ climatic parameters shows that Haiti’s west and central regions are mostly exposed to vector-borne and water-borne diseases. Models predict a decrease in malaria cases due to climate change with hot temperatures and a decline in rainfall, while dengue transmission patterns may undergo changes. These findings will inform the implementation of context-specific early-warning systems and adaptation strategies for climate-sensitive diseases while acknowledging the challenges of integrating climate-altered data into health policies.

Vector-borne diseases use to be a major public health concern only in tropical and subtropical areas, but today they are an emerging threat for the continental and developed countries also. Nowadays, in intercontinental countries, there is a struggle with emerging diseases, which have found their way to appear through vectors. Vector-borne zoonotic diseases occur when vectors, animal hosts, climate conditions, pathogens, and susceptible human population exist at the same time, at the same place. Global climate change is predicted to lead to an increase in vector-borne infectious diseases and disease outbreaks. It could affect the range and population of pathogens, host and vectors, transmission season, etc. Reliable surveillance for diseases that are most likely to emerge is required. Canine vector-borne diseases represent a complex group of diseases including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, bartonellosis, borreliosis, dirofilariosis, ehrlichiosis, and leishmaniosis. Some of these diseases cause serious clinical symptoms in dogs and some of them have a zoonotic potential with an effect to public health. It is expected from veterinarians in coordination with medical doctors to play a fundamental role at primarily prevention and then treatment of vector-borne diseases in dogs. The One Health concept has to be integrated into the struggle against emerging diseases. During a 4-year period, from 2009 to 2013, a total number of 551 dog samples were analyzed for vector-borne diseases (borreliosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, dirofilariosis, and leishmaniasis) in routine laboratory work. The analysis was done by serological tests – ELISA for borreliosis, dirofilariosis, and leishmaniasis, modified Knott test for dirofilariosis, and blood smear for babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis. This number of samples represented 75% of total number of samples that were sent for analysis for different diseases in dogs. Annually, on average more then half of the samples brought to the laboratory to analysis for different infectious diseases are analyzed for vector-borne diseases. In the region of Vojvodina (northern part of Serbia), the following vector-borne infectious diseases have been found in dogs so far borreliosis, babesiosis, dirofilariosis, leishmaniasis, and anaplasmosis.

The emerging field of public health ethics

BackgroundMore than half of the world’s population currently lives in urban settlements that grow both in size and number. By 2050, approximately 70% of the global population will be living in urban conglomerations, mainly in low- and middle-income countries. Mobility, poverty, different layers of inequalities as well as climate variability and change are some of the social and environmental factors that influence the exposure of human populations in urban settings to vector-borne diseases, which pose eminent public health threats. Accurate, consistent, and evidence-based interventions for prevention and control of vector-borne and other infectious diseases of poverty in urban settings are needed to implement innovative and cost-effective public policy and to promote inclusive and equitable urban health services.Main bodyWhile there is growing awareness of vector-borne diseases epidemiology at the urban level, there is still a paucity of research and action being undertaken in this area, hindering evidence-based public health policy decisions and practice and strategies for active community engagement. This paper describes the collaboration and partnership of the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the “VEctor boRne DiseAses Scoping reviews” (VERDAS) Research Consortium as they joined efforts in response to filling this gap in knowledge and evidence by supporting the development of a series of scoping reviews that highlight priority research gaps and policy implications to address vector-borne and other infectious diseases at the urban level.ConclusionsThe set of scoping reviews proposed in this special issue presents a critical analysis of the state-of-the-art of research on urban health interventions for the prevention and control of vector-borne and other infectious diseases of poverty. The authors of the 6 reviews highlighted severe gaps in knowledge and identified organizational and theoretical limitations that need to be urgently tackled to improve cities preparedness and vector control response. The more pressing need at present is to ensure that more implementation research on vector-borne diseases in urban settings is conducted, addressing policy and practice implications and calling for more political commitment and social mobilization through adequate citizen engagement strategies.

Background : The impacts of climate change can place significant demand on health, particularly among vulnerable populations and regions. The need for adaptation strategies to prepare for, and address, the risks and impacts of a changing climate has been widely recognized. Public health professionals play an essential role in knowledge translation and transfer of science-based information and development of integrated education, surveillance and response systems to reduce health risks. This project will address gaps and identify public health adaptation strategies to address the impacts of climate change on vector-borne and water-borne infectious diseases in Canada. Methods:The climate change and adaptation program consists of two components: university research and community/regional based pilot projects. The university research projects are developing tools to assess community vulnerability to water-borne and/or vector-borne diseases. The community/regional based pilot projects have undertaken activities to examine infectious disease risks and adaptation associated with climate change in their regions. . Results:Tools for public health (i.e. risk maps, forecasting models), resulting from the university research, are being produced to identify the predicted risk of water-borne and vector-borne (specifically Lyme disease and West Nile virus) diseases now and in the future with from a changing climate. From the pilot projects a synthesis report of the findings, lessons learned and "best practices" was created to provide information on how health regions and departments in Canada can prepare for and adapt to infectious disease threats from a changing climate based on the experience and activities of the pilot regions. Conclusions:Through tool development by academic research and knowledge translation and transfer, public health capacity to anticipate and respond to emerging vector-borne and/or water-borne infectious diseases will be increased through the development of appropriate adaptation strategies.

Introduction: The present study aimed to explore the associations between climate change, vector-borne diseases and health outcomes. Contemporary climate change has drawn growing recognition from the global public health community as an important global public health hazard (1). Vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, and Lyme disease also pose significant public health threats, and we know that they, too, are sensitive to climatic changes. But the exact links among climate change, vector-borne diseases and public health outcomes remain poorly characterized.Methods: The goal of this study was to determine whether climate change, vector-borne diseases, and public health outcomes are connected in some way. However, the role climate change plays to the environment and human health made it a serious global public health threat (2). Vector-borne diseases, including malaria, dengue, and Lyme disease, are another important category of high-impact diseases and are also known to be affected by climate change. But the direct links between climate change, vector-borne diseases, and public health outcomes are poorly understood.Results: Overall, the results of the study indicate that climate change plays a very important role in the distribution, seasonality and transmission of vector borne diseases. Rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns are associated with the expansion of the geographic range of vectors, causing increased transmission of diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and Lyme disease[3]. In addition, adapting measures to control disease will be critical in response to active ecological changes driven by climate change.Conclusions: This research draws attention to the pressing need for international action on climate change to limit the impacts on vector-borne diseases and public health. Therefore, vector-borne diseases will continue to rise with little to no processes in place to quell its influence without climate change remediation measures and it would lead to dire consequences with respect to human health and well-being. Further research is needed to not only understand but also identify mechanisms to mitigate the impacts of climate change on vector-borne disease and human health.

The effects of global warming have long been a focus of scientists’ attention, not only since the USA rejected the Kyoto Protocol, which was drafted to curb the emission of so‐called greenhouse gases. The potential consequences of increasing the Earth's temperature by just a few degrees include a rise in ocean levels due to melting of the polar ice caps, parching of the land and changes of storm, flood and drought patterns. These scenarios are mainly debated among climatologists, but biologists are adding a further dimension with another potentially disastrous effect. ‘In the past five years, there has been increasing discussion about global warming and its potential impact on diseases like malaria and dengue fever in the tropics and even in temperate zones’, Uriel Kitron, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Illinois in Urbana‐Champaign, said. Indeed, many scientists point to global warming as a factor in the spread of malaria and other vector‐borne infectious diseases. This camp believes that global warming is likely to disturb a delicate equilibrium and contribute to new epidemics of malaria, yellow and dengue fever and encephalitis. Kitron has been studying the invasion of the tiger mosquito in Illinois, LaCrosse encephalitis in the Great Lakes region, and dengue and malaria in Trinidad, Kenya and Mozambique. His research, however, does not clearly link global warming with the spread of these diseases. ‘Vector‐borne diseases have an extremely complex ecology, which renders transmission and what it takes to produce disease not that simple and clear cut’, he said. > Many scientists believe that global warming is likely to disturb a delicate equilibrium and contribute to new epidemics of malaria, yellow and dengue fever and encephalitis Unlike Kitron's middle‐of‐the‐road view, much of the scientific thinking on the topic is polarised, and seems to be tinged with politics. Paul Epstein, Associate …

The Climate Emergency—And the Emergency Physicians Fighting It: Experts Are Preparing Departments and the Next Generation of Physicians for This Emerging Threat

BackgroundTransmission dynamics, vectorial capacity, and co-infections have substantial impacts on vector-borne diseases (VBDs) affecting urban and suburban populations. Reviewing key factors can provide insight into priority research areas and offer suggestions for potential interventions.Main bodyThrough a scoping review, we identify knowledge gaps on transmission dynamics, vectorial capacity, and co-infections regarding VBDs in urban areas. Peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 2000 and 2016 was searched. We screened abstracts and full texts to select studies. Using an extraction grid, we retrieved general data, results, lessons learned and recommendations, future research avenues, and practice implications. We classified studies by VBD and country/continent and identified relevant knowledge gaps. Of 773 articles selected for full-text screening, 50 were included in the review: 23 based on research in the Americas, 15 in Asia, 10 in Africa, and one each in Europe and Australia. The largest body of evidence concerning VBD epidemiology in urban areas concerned dengue and malaria. Other arboviruses covered included chikungunya and West Nile virus, other parasitic diseases such as leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis, and bacterial rickettsiosis and plague. Most articles retrieved in our review combined transmission dynamics and vectorial capacity; only two combined transmission dynamics and co-infection. The review identified significant knowledge gaps on the role of asymptomatic individuals, the effects of co-infection and other host factors, and the impacts of climatic, environmental, and socioeconomic factors on VBD transmission in urban areas. Limitations included the trade-off from narrowing the search strategy (missing out on classical modelling studies), a lack of studies on co-infections, most studies being only descriptive, and few offering concrete public health recommendations. More research is needed on transmission risk in homes and workplaces, given increasingly dynamic and mobile populations. The lack of studies on co-infection hampers monitoring of infections transmitted by the same vector.ConclusionsStrengthening VBD surveillance and control, particularly in asymptomatic cases and mobile populations, as well as using early warning tools to predict increasing transmission, were key strategies identified for public health policy and practice.

This book provides a comprehensive exploration of vector-borne diseases, highlighting current trends, control strategies, and their public health implications. With contributions from experts, it informs readers about specific diseases caused by vectors such as mosquitoes and other zoonotic agents, presenting innovative approaches for prevention and management. The book begins with a focus on mosquito control strategies, emphasizing their significance in reducing the burden of vector-borne diseases. It further unravels the impact of Rickettsial infections, providing insights into these often-underdiagnosed diseases. Scrub typhus is explored through its co-infections with other vector-borne zoonotic diseases and analyzed using an integrated omics approach to better understand its pathogenesis and treatment. The final chapter sheds light on lymphatic filariasis, a neglected tropical disease, covering its endemic nature, clinical manifestations like elephantiasis and hydrocele, mass drug administration programs, and novel vector management techniques. This resource is ideal for public health professionals, researchers, and students, providing actionable insights into combating vector-borne diseases globally. Key Features: Discusses innovative mosquito control strategies and integrated vector management. Explores lesser-known diseases like scrub typhus and Rickettsial infections with advanced omics approaches. Provides a detailed analysis of lymphatic filariasis, including treatment strategies like antifilarial drugs and mass drug administration. Highlights the importance of public health interventions in combating neglected tropical diseases.

Every year there are more than one billion cases and over one million deaths from vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, schistosomiasis, human African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and onchocerciasis, globally1. Malaria causes the most number of deaths among the vector-borne diseases; WHO estimated that there were 627,000 deaths and 207 million cases in 2012, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa followed by South East Asia2. Dengue is fast emerging pandemic-prone viral disease and up to 50-100 million infections are estimated to occur annually in over 100 endemic countries3. The economic costs of malaria and dengue are very high as reported in India4 and in Puerto Rico5. In spite of the high burdens, five vector borne diseases (Chagas diseases, dengue/severe dengue, human African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, lymphatic filariasis and schistosomiasis) are among the 17 neglected tropical diseases6. It is, therefore, fitting that World Health Day 2014 focuses on vector borne diseases7. World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 every year to mark the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948. Each year a theme is selected that highlights a priority area of public health. World Health Day 2014 focuses on vector-borne diseases with the following aims: (i) families living in areas where diseases are transmitted by vectors know how to protect themselves; (ii) travelers know how to protect themselves from vectors and vector-borne diseases when travelling to countries where these pose a health threat; (iii) in countries where vector-borne diseases are a public health problem, ministries of health put in place measures to improve the protection of their populations; and (iv) in countries where vector-borne diseases are an emerging threat, health authorities work with environmental and relevant authorities locally and in neighbouring countries to improve integrated surveillance of vectors and to take measures to prevent their proliferation7. As well, World Health Day 2014 is an opportunity to highlight the research on vectors and vector-borne diseases. Aside from research and development on new tools, it is necessary to invest in operations research, which is “any research producing practically-usable knowledge (evidence, findings, information, etc.) which can improve programme implementation (e.g. effectiveness, efficiency, quality, access, scale-up, sustainability) regardless of the type of research (design, methodology, approach)”8, to contribute in effective control of vector-borne diseases and even eliminate some of these diseases. Integrated vector management (IVM) is one area where operational research is very much needed. IVM is an approach that seeks to improve the efficacy, cost-effectiveness, ecological soundness and sustainability of disease-vector control. The ultimate goal is to prevent the transmission of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis and Chagas disease. One of the five key elements for the successful implementation of IVM is “evidence-based decision making guided by operational research and entomological and epidemiological surveillance and evaluation”9. Research is also needed to understand the “epidemiology of elimination” of lymphatic filariasis10. Effective and large scale implementation of existing tools has markedly brought down the burden of malaria globally2, including in Asia Pacific11 and in Sri Lanka12. In recent years, four countries have been certified by the WHO as having eliminated malaria13. However, the gains achieved are fragile. Preserving the efficacy of key tools – insecticides and artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACT) – is critical. Otherwise, resurgence may occur as in the past wherein 32 per cent of malaria resurgence was attributed to vector or drug resistance14. Mosquito resistance to at least one insecticide has been detected in 64 countries15 and Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin has been documented in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam16,17,18. Research plays crucial role in addressing these threats15,19,20. To reach the endgame of malaria elimination will require new tools as well as innovative mechanisms to deliver services to hard-to-reach populations in malaria-endemic areas as well as to inform policies and strategies for prevention of resurgence of transmission21,22,23. “Good science is the basis of good public health, but the challenge is to translate the best science into public policy”24. World Health Day 2014 is a good opportunity to help address this challenge by providing forum for researchers, policy makers and programme implementers to promote research on vectors and vector-borne diseases and to further improve the translation of evidence generated through research into policy and practice for better control and whenever feasible elimination of vector borne diseases.

Nurses play essential roles in reducing health problems due to climate change

Vector-borne diseases endure to contribute knowingly to the global problem of disease, and cause epidemics that disturb health security and cause wider socioeconomic effects around the world. Climate affects by pathogens it causes diseases that spend part of pathogens lifecycle host outside, visible to the environment. The main significant routes of spread of climate sensitive diseases are by arthropod (insect and tick) vectors, in food and water. Climate change has the possible to impact the earth's biological systems, The impacts of climate change on health are wide-ranging and diverse. They encompass the rise in fatalities and illnesses caused by more frequent and intense extreme weather events like heatwaves, storms, and floods. Climate change also disrupts food systems, leading to an increase in diseases transmitted through food, water, and vectors. Due to climate change emerging nations with partial resources are expected to face a host of health effects, including vector-borne and water-borne diseases such as cholera, malaria and dengue. Climate change can impact the transmission dynamics, geographical expansion, and recurrence of vector-borne diseases through various channels. These include its direct influence on the pathogens, vectors, non-human hosts, and humans involved. Furthermore, climate change has the potential to modify entire ecosystem habitats, including urban environments, thereby influencing the proliferation or decline of vectors and non-human hosts. This article analyses common and prevalent infectious diseases in India, their links to climate change.

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) pose a significant public health challenge in Saudi Arabia, particularly in the Jazan region. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding VBDs among the population of Jazan and to identify factors associated with these variables. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 642 adult residents of Jazan using a convenience random sampling technique. The survey tool consisted of 6 domains: demographics, knowledge of VBDs, preventive practices, care-seeking behavior, knowledge of specific VBDs, and attitudes towards VBDs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t tests, ANOVA, and multivariable logistic regression. The majority of participants (60.0%) had high knowledge scores, while (75.5%) and (77.7%) had high attitude and practice scores, respectively. However, knowledge gaps were identified in specific areas, such as the transmission of leishmaniasis and Rift Valley fever. Gender was a significant predictor of both knowledge and practice scores, with males having higher knowledge and females demonstrating higher levels of preventive practices. Age, education, income, and working status were also associated with knowledge scores. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions and educational campaigns to address the identified gaps in knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Future research should focus on exploring the effectiveness of different intervention strategies and investigating the integration of VBD prevention and control measures into existing healthcare systems. By employing a multi-disciplinary approach, evidence-based strategies can be developed to prevent and control VBDs, ultimately improving public health outcomes in Jazan and other endemic regions worldwide.

BackgroundDiseases transmitted to humans by vectors account for 17% of all infectious diseases and remain significant public health problems. Through the years, great strides have been taken towards combatting vector-borne diseases (VBDs), most notably through large scale and coordinated control programmes, which have contributed to the decline of the global mortality attributed to VBDs. However, with environmental changes, including climate change, the impact on VBDs is anticipated to be significant, in terms of VBD-related hazards, vulnerabilities and exposure. While there is growing awareness on the vulnerability of the African continent to VBDs in the context of climate change, there is still a paucity of research being undertaken in this area, and impeding the formulation of evidence-based health policy change.Main bodyOne way in which the gap in knowledge and evidence can be filled is for donor institutions to support research in this area. The collaboration between the WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) and the International Centre for Research and Development (IDRC) builds on more than 10 years of partnership in research capacity-building in the field of tropical diseases. From this partnership was born yet another research initiative on VBDs and the impact of climate change in the Sahel and sub-Saharan Africa. This paper lists the projects supported under this research initiative and provides a brief on some of the policy and good practice recommendations emerging from the ongoing implementation of the research projects.ConclusionData generated from the research initiative are expected to be uptaken by stakeholders (including communities, policy makers, public health practitioners and other relevant partners) to contribute to a better understanding of the impacts of social, environmental and climate change on VBDs(i.e. the nature of the hazard, vulnerabilities, exposure), and improve the ability of African countries to adapt to and reduce the effects of these changes in ways that benefit their most vulnerable populations.