Potential Impact of Climate Change on Global Mosquito-Borne Viruses Distribution
Paper ID : 1021-3IICE
Authors:
Hamid Kassiri *
Department of Medical Entomology, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Abstract:
Introduction:
Dengue fever , Chikungunya, West Nile fever, Rift Valley fever, Zika fever, and Yellow fever agents as well as several encephalitis types are transmitted by mosquitoes. Each year, more than one billion people around the world contract arthropod-borne diseases, about one million of whom lose their lives. Understanding the condition of emerging and reemerging mosquito-borne arboviral diseases, the role of climatic changes in their global spread, and identifying their natural reservoirs and vectors contribute significantly to their prevention and treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to offer an account and understanding of such diseases.
Materials and Methods:
In this review paper, related articles published over the past few years on websites and reputable medical and health journals found in the Web of Science, Google Scholar, PubMed, SID, Irandoc, and Ovid Medline databases as well as the World Health Organization (WHO) website were extracted using such keywords as emerging, reemerging, arbovirus, vectors, mosquito, natural reservoirs, climatic conditions and control. An adequate number of articles were then selected, interpreted and analyzed to examine the condition of arboviral diseases given the study objectives.
Results and Discussion:
Sindbis and West Nile are among mosquito-borne arboviruses whose emergence and transmission in Iran have been verified. According to WHO, the probability of Rift Valley fever and Japanese encephalitis emerging in Iran is not low. In addition, Zika and dengue diseases, with rapid global expansion rates, are likely to emerge in Iran.
Over the past two decades, the incidence of several arboviral diseases has, unfortunately, increased due to climatic changes, precipitation patter alterations, genetic manipulations, increased number of business and recreational travels, war, changes in agricultural procedures and urbanization expansion. Global climate change affects lands , human health and increases the risk of contracting vector-transmitted diseases. The geographic distribution of vector-transmitted arboviral diseases is largely a reflection of that of their vectors and natural reservoirs. Vectors can alter their behavior and regional geographic expansion in response to climatic and environmental changes. The effect of climatic changes on vector borne diseases is manifested by the increased multiplicity of vectors and natural reservoirs, prolonged disease transmission cycles, increased probability of the appearance of vectors/natural reservoirs in a particular area, the increased risk of developing animal diseases and potential disease-induced human dangers. Given the available evidence, necessary measures need to be taken to combat arboviral diseases and authorities and people should be informed on such issues.
Keywords:
Mosquito-Borne Viral Diseases, Climatic Changes , Emerging and Reemerging Diseases, Epidemiology, Vectors .
Status : Paper Accepted (Poster Presentation)