Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are a health risk for both dogs and humans. This nationwide study sought to determine the seropositivity of Leishmania infantum and Ehrlichia canis and the positivity of Dirofilaria immitis, the main vector-borne pathogens prevalent in Europe, in apparently healthy dogs from Spain. Possible associations between seropositivity/positivity and epidemiological variables were also assessed, respectively. In a survey conducted in all Spanish 50 provinces, 11,886 dogs from 609 veterinary clinics were tested using the URANOvet® diagnostic rapid test to detect D. immitis antigen, and antibodies against L. infantum and E. canis. Data were collected regarding sex, age, habitat, clinical signs compatible with each pathogen and the regular use of ectoparasiticides. The overall seropositivity was 17.3% (1915/11,048) for L. infantum, and 3.4% (315/9,125) for E. canis. Positivity for D. immitis was 3.2% (314/9,938). A considerable proportion of infected dogs showed no clinical signs, representing 17.7% of L. infantum, 64.1% of D. immitis, and 35.9% of E. canis positive cases. Significant differences in the epidemiological variables examined (P < 0.05) were related to seropositivy/positivity for the three pathogens examined, including geographic location, habitat, associated clinical signs and use of ectoparasiticides. While a higher seropositivity of L. infantum and positivity for D. immitis antigen were recorded in older dogs (P < 0.001), male dogs showed a higher seropositivity of L. infantum (P < 0.001). These data suggest that dogs in Spain are consistently exposed to all three vector-borne pathogens analysed. Veterinarians should include these CVBDs in their differential diagnoses and encourage the use of repellents and other prophylactic measures to prevent their transmission by arthropod vectors, considering regional epidemiological risk and lifestyle. Our findings also highlight the need for early detection by routine screening of clinically healthy dogs, as they could be important subclinical carriers.
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) pose a significant public health threat in West Africa, contributing to substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly among vulnerable populations. This region is highly susceptible to the effects of climate change due to its geographical location, dependence on rain-fed agriculture, and fragile ecosystems. This narrative review explores the complex interplay between climate change and the escalating burden of VBDs, including malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and Lassa fever, to inform a coordinated regional response. Appropriate publications from 2010 to 2025 were identified from scientific databases (e.g., Google Scholar, PubMed) and reports from international bodies (WHO, Africa CDC, WAHO). The review included articles that presented empirical data, modeling studies, and policy analyzes contextual to West Africa. A total of 21 papers were selected for a detailed narrative synthesis to discuss climate drivers, challenges, and policy recommendations. Climate change, characterized by rising temperatures, altered precipitation, and increased extreme events, profoundly influences vector biology, distribution, and disease transmission dynamics. Optimal temperature ranges and recurrent flooding create ideal breeding grounds, exacerbating outbreaks. West Africa's challenges are compounded by socioeconomic factors like deforestation and rapid urbanization, which strain fragile healthcare systems. The VBD burden results in a severe economic toll on productivity and trade, disrupting social stability and hindering progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key findings point to the urgent need for a holistic response. Addressing this multifaceted challenge requires a coordinated regional effort focusing on strengthening cross-border disease surveillance, establishing real-time data-sharing and early warning systems, and implementing Integrated Vector Management (IVM). This article emphasizes the urgent need for political commitment, sustained funding from regional and international partners, and collaborative efforts to build climate-resilient health systems and effectively combat the growing threat of vector-borne diseases in West Africa.
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) impose a significant burden in China, with complex spatiotemporal patterns driven by heterogeneous and nonlinear climatic influences, complicating the identification of causal drivers. To fill this gap, we conducted a nationwide study across 365 city-level regions in mainland China, covering nearly 0.8 million cases of eight types of VBDs, with a time span of 18 years. An empirical dynamic modeling framework was applied to reconstruct system dynamics directly from time-series data, and identify causal climatic drivers for eight VBDs via convergent cross-mapping. Their nonlinear effects and interactions were quantified via scenario exploration across diverse climate zones. Our results reveal distinct, disease-specific climatic drivers: dengue, Japanese encephalitis, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), and leptospirosis are primarily influenced by relative humidity and sunshine-hour; scrub typhus is sensitive to temperature, humidity, and sunshine; severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) and tick-borne encephalitis are mainly driven by sunshine-hour. Forecast improvement confirms marked north-south heterogeneity - sunshine alone improves dengue forecasts nationally, but both humidity and sunshine contribute in northern cities, whereas marginal effects diminish in persistently humid southern regions. Scenario exploration further uncovers nonlinear interactions and threshold effects: the positive effect of relative humidity on scrub typhus weakens above 25°C, and sunshine-hour shift from promoting to suppressing SFTS incidence across gradients. The climatic driving mechanisms of multiple VBDs in China were disease-specific, regionally heterogeneous, and state-dependent. The forecast-improvement effects of the identified climatic drivers differed between northern and southern regions, and their impacts changed nonlinearly across background climatic states.
Vector-borne diseases significantly impact human and animal health, as well as global economies. Over the past decades, modelling approaches have significantly advanced our ability to understand and predict their dynamics. However, most predictive frameworks still rely predominantly on the abiotic components. This narrow focus fails to capture the ecological reality of transmission, since abiotic features alone do not ensure pathogen maintenance in the absence of appropriate hosts or vectors. The scarcity of models incorporating host-related variables underscores limitations that can over- or underestimate risk. Biotic interactions among pathogens, vectors, and hosts add layers of complexity that determine where and when transmission might occur. Integrating vector and host distributions using species-level data, supra-specific taxonomic proxies, or chorotype-based analyses offers a promising path toward more ecologically realistic predictions. Future progress will depend on improved biotic datasets, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the development of integrative frameworks that capture vector-borne disease dynamics.
Rodents of the genus Apodemus are among the most widespread and abundant small mammals in Europe and play a central role in the ecology of numerous zoonotic pathogens. Owing to their ecological plasticity, high population densities, and frequent infestation by arthropod vectors, Apodemus species contribute to the maintenance and transmission of a diverse array of bacterial, viral, and protozoan agents of public health concern. This narrative review synthesises current knowledge on vector-borne pathogens associated with European Apodemus spp. and highlights marked heterogeneity in species-specific epidemiological roles across pathogens. We highlight marked heterogeneity in the epidemiological roles of Apodemus spp. across pathogens. While they function as confirmed reservoir hosts for some agents, particularly certain Borrelia genospecies and Neoehrlichia mikurensis, their contribution to other transmission cycles is ecotype-dependent, indirect, or context-specific. Infection dynamics are shaped by host demography, population density, community composition, habitat configuration, and climatic variability, which together modulate vector abundance, host-vector contact rates, and environmental persistence. Importantly, infection prevalence alone does not equate to reservoir competence; instead, pathogen-specific life histories and ecological context determine the extent to which Apodemus spp. amplify or bridge transmission. Landscape structure, forest cover, and temperature-related variables emerge as key large-scale predictors of tick-borne pathogen incidence, linking rodent ecology to human disease risk. Urbanisation and land-use change further reorganise host-vector networks, creating novel interfaces for spillover. By integrating multi-pathogen evidence across ecological scales, this review underscores the importance of adopting a One Health perspective that considers rodent ecology, vector biology, and environmental change in concert. Understanding the context-dependent role of Apodemus spp. is essential for anticipating future zoonotic risk under ongoing climatic and landscape transformation.
While bats are known to harbor various viruses and bacteria, their role as hosts for hemoparasites has not been extensively studied. This research investigated the presence of ectoparasites and vector-borne pathogens-including Anaplasmataceae agents, hemoplasmas, apicomplexans, and kinetoplastids-in 74 Phyllostomidae bats sampled from an urban forest fragment in southeastern Brazil. Overall, 31.1% of the bats were infested with ectoparasites: 82.6% carried only Streblidae bat flies, 13.0% had only mites, and 4.4% were co-infested with both parasites. No hemoparasites were observed in Giemsa-stained preparations. Furthermore, all samples tested negative for PCR assays targeting the orders Haemosporida and Piroplasmida, as well as for Anaplasma sp., Neorickettsia sp., Trypanosoma cruzi, and Trypanosoma evansi. Molecular analyses revealed that 1.4% of the bats were positive for Ehrlichia sp., 20.3% for hemotropic Mycoplasma spp., and 1.4% for Leishmania infantum. Coinfections were found in 1.4% of the positive samples. Sequence analyses revealed that the detected Ehrlichia sp. is closely related to Ehrlichia canis, and that the Mycoplasma sp. shares high sequence identity with bat-associated hemoplasmas. These findings document the presence of ectoparasites and hemopathogens in the sampled Phyllostomidae bats, indicating that these infectious agents circulate within urban forest fragments. While the specific role of these bats in sustaining the pathogens' life cycles remains to be fully elucidated, these initial findings underscore the need for expanded eco-epidemiological studies. This highlights the crucial need to study these pathogens in bat populations, underscoring their ecological significance and the potential implications for public health and biodiversity conservation (e.g. zoonotic spillover and population stress).
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2026.1755594.].
Between September 2024 to January 2026, 100 professionals working with mosquito and/or tick vectors and located primarily in the upper Midwest of the United States were interviewed. These interviews were used to assess the work performed in the region and to highlight successes and challenges of the work. The results suggest that collaboration within and across agencies is a strength, whereas a major challenge is that the public and politicians do not understand or appreciate the importance of their work in vector surveillance, vector control, and public outreach.
Climate change is reshaping the distribution of invasive vector species, intensifying the risk of vector-borne diseases in previously unaffected regions. Sustainable management of these vectors increasingly relies on biological control agents, which offer an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical interventions. However, the success of biological control is constrained by ecological thresholds such as the Allee effect, where small introduced populations of control agents may fail to establish, particularly under changing temperature conditions. In this study, we examine a mathematical model that captures competition between invasive vectors and biological control agents. The model incorporates temperature-dependent functional responses and weak Allee effects to reflect the dual pressures of climate variability and population-level constraints. Our one-parameter bifurcation analysis reveals that these combined drivers promote multistability, leading to sudden regime shifts between outcomes of successful vector suppression, vector outbreaks, coexistence, or population collapse. Additionally, four coexisting stable equilibria arises from a cusp-induced wedge region in a two-parameter bifurcation analysis, a phenomenon not previously observed in vector-borne population dynamics. This introduces a higher level of dynamical complexity, bridging temperature-dependent biological rates and nonlinear population feedback, with potential implications for species bio-control under climate change. These findings also suggest that climate change not only facilitates vector spread but also complicates biological control outcomes, making them highly sensitive to initial population densities, population-level (or Allee effect) constraints and temperature regimes. This work demonstrates the importance of considering both climatic and population-level influences when planning biological control programs, particularly in safeguarding public health against emerging vector-borne threats.
Culex mosquitoes are widespread in temperate regions and play a key role in transmitting veterinary and human vector-borne diseases. In the United Kingdom, Culex pipiens s.l. is highly prevalent and a competent vector of West Nile and Usutu viruses. Coupled with the northward expansion of West Nile virus in Europe, this raises concerns about emergence in the UK. For public and animal health preparedness, and effective vector control planning, it is essential to better understand the distribution of Culex mosquitoes in this area.This study developed species distribution maps for Culex pipiens pipiens, Culex pipiens molestus, and Culex torrentium abundance using data from the first nationwide stratified active mosquito surveillance programme in England and Wales in 2023, supplemented with adaptive surveillance in 2024. Culex p. pipiens models predicted higher abundances than the other two taxa. Regions of high abundance occurred across most of England, apart from the northwest, with the highest in eastern regions and estuarine areas. In contrast, higher elevation areas, including most of Wales, the North Pennines, and Yorkshire Dales, showed markedly lower abundances. Environmental drivers differed between forms. Culex p. pipiens abundance was strongly associated with precipitation-related covariates, whereas Culex p. molestus was mostly influenced by temperature covariates. These findings highlight the importance of modelling the two forms separately in risk analyses and distribution studies.The resulting models provide timely ecological insights to support surveillance prioritisation and provide a foundation for future work aimed at guiding public health planning and targeted vector management.
Water buffalo exhibit low mortality rates and high resistance to pathogens. They are less susceptible to developing diseases common in other bovids; however, they are susceptible to various bacterial agents and hemoparasites. Although buffalo are relatively resistant to the clinical form of many diseases, they can serve as reservoirs for various pathogens, facilitating their spread to other susceptible species, which is particularly relevant in a One Health perspective. This review compiles information on economically important infectious diseases affecting buffalo herds, including bacterial infections (brucellosis, tuberculosis, paratuberculosis, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, etc.), vector-borne diseases (anaplasmosis, babesiosis, theileriosis, trypanosomiasis), neosporosis, and toxoplasmosis, among others. To this end, a systematic review was conducted, analyzing 180 articles from scientific databases such as Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, and SciELO. The inclusion criteria were studies focused on different bacterial and parasitic etiological agents reported to affect water buffalo. The review findings indicate epidemiological trends of increasing involvement of water buffalo in the circulation of infectious diseases in mixed livestock systems. Water buffalo can act as a reservoirs and sources of interspecific transmission, especially given their due to the frequency of subclinical infections and proximity to cattle. These findings highlight the need to include this species in surveillance and health management programs. However, gaps remain in research on specific epidemiology and there is a lack of systematic studies. The increasing global expansion of buffalo production and the associated risks to animal and public health underscore the importance of conducting evidence-based studies to strengthen disease control and prevention strategies.
Canine leishmaniosis caused by Leishmania infantum is a vector-borne zoonotic disease with a broad clinical spectrum ranging from asymptomatic infection to severe systemic disease. Although clinicopathological alterations have been extensively described in clinically affected dogs, less information is available regarding subtle laboratory differences associated with subclinical infection in apparently healthy animals. The aim of this study was to explore whether clinically healthy dogs naturally infected with L. infantum exhibit measurable haematological, biochemical and serum protein electrophoretic differences compared with non-infected dogs. Early laboratory alterations associated with subclinical L. infantum infection remain insufficiently characterised in clinically healthy dogs. This study evaluated whether qPCR-positive asymptomatic dogs exhibit detectable inflammatory haematological and biochemical signatures. Although all laboratory values remained within reference intervals, infected dogs exhibited distinct inflammatory-associated laboratory patterns compared with non-infected animals. Infected dogs showed eosinopenia together with lower erythrocyte haemoglobin indices and increased monocyte and basophil counts. Biochemical and electrophoretic analyses revealed increased total protein and α1-, β2-and γ-globulin fractions in infected dogs, supporting the presence of early inflammatory and immune activation. These findings suggest that subclinical L. infantum infection is accompanied by detectable inflammatory laboratory alterations before overt clinical disease develops.
Climate change, globalization, and urbanization continue to reshape the ecology of vector-borne diseases, allowing mosquito-transmitted arboviruses to expand into previously non-endemic areas. Increasing insecticide resistance, ecological disruption, and declining efficacy of conventional vector control strategies have prompted an interest in microbe-based alternatives. Insect-specific viruses (ISVs), a group of viruses restricted to replicating in arthropods like mosquitoes, have emerged as potential modulators of mosquito vector competence. This systematic review assesses current in vivo evidence on the effects of ISVs on arboviral replication, infection, and transmission, for the purpose of considering their potential application as biocontrol agents for arboviruses.Please confirm if the author names are presented accurately and in the correct sequence (given name, middle name/initial, family name). A systematic search strategy was applied to PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies. The selection process followed PRISMA guidelines and PICO-based inclusion criteria. RAYYAN AI was used to remove duplicates, for abstract and full text screening. Only in vivo studies analyzing interactions between ISVs and medically relevant arboviruses in mosquitoes were retained. Study quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and data extraction followed JBI guidelines. A total of 3386 studies were found using the search strategy, of these 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. The effects of ISVs on co-infecting arboviruses were highly variable, depending on mosquito species, ISV strain, route of infection, and the phylogenetic relationship between the ISV and the arbovirus. Cell-fusing agent virus (CFAV), Nhumirim virus (NHUV), Palm Creek virus (PCV), Culex flavivirus (CxFV), Eilat virus (EILV), Espirito Santo virus (ESV), Yichang virus (YCV), Anopheles gambiae densovirus (AgDNV), and Aedes aegypti densovirus (AaeDV) showed suppression in either one or more of the parameters of vector competence used, such as replication, transmission, and infection rate, likely associated with mechanisms consistent with superinfection exclusion or competition for shared cellular resources. In contrast, Phasi Charoen-like virus (PCLV) and Humaita-Tubiacanga virus (HTV) enhanced flavivirus infection and transmission in Aedes aegypti, suggesting that some ISVs may facilitate, rather than inhibit, arbovirus spread. Additionally, in some studies where infection routes differed, neutral or inconsistent interactions were observed. ISVs act as context-dependent modulators of arboviral dynamics in mosquitoes. While some indicate biological inhibitory potential, others enhance viral replication or have negligible effects, underlining the importance of meticulous viral selection and ecological risk assessment before considering ISVs as biocontrol candidates. Carefully designed experimental, mechanistic and semi-field evaluations are important for ISVs to be considered as biocontrol agents within integrated vector management programs.
Every year, over 700,000 people, particularly children under five, die from vector-borne diseases worldwide. Effectively controlling endemics and preventing new outbreaks requires an integrated approach that can lead to the elimination of both vectors and diseases. In the last two decades, integrating medical interventions and vector control has significantly reduced the incidence of Gambian Human African Trypanosomiasis (g-HAT), with the World Health Organization validating eight countries as having eliminated the disease as a public health problem. However, elimination of the tsetse vector has not been confirmed, leaving the possibility of re-emergence. We developed a six-step modeling framework to assess vector elimination by calculating: i) the probability of vector capture; ii) the probability of observing a series of zero catches, even without actual elimination; iii) the probability of natural elimination; iv) the probability of failing to detect a rebound; v) the reinvasion risk; and vi) the sensitivity analysis. Our case study is g-HAT in Mandoul, Chad, and the elimination of Glossina fuscipes fuscipes. We used vector control from 2014 to 2025 with no tsetse detected since 2018. We cannot yet conclude, with over 90% confidence, that tsetse has been eliminated from Mandoul, nor that any remnant population will be naturally eliminated. However, since vector control stopped in April 2025, we estimate that with continued sampling over the next 2 y, and no tsetse detected, elimination could be demonstrated with 99% confidence. Our multistep modeling framework can be applied to other vectors, providing policymakers with guidelines for ongoing and future efforts.
The Aeolian wall lizard (Podarcis raffonei) is an endangered lacertid species endemic to the Aeolian Archipelago (Sicily, Italy). Its populations are threatened by several factors, including habitat fragmentation and reduction, competition with the invasive Podarcis siculus, and potential health risks associated with disease dynamics. To prevent the extinction of this unique species an ex-situ captive breeding program was established in the Reptile House at the Bioparco of Rome within the LIFE project EOLIZARD. Most animals were housed in outdoor enclosures, favoring the exposure of these naïve lizards to new ectoparasitic mite species, that may negatively impact host fitness through direct effects and pathogen transmission. Therefore, given the lack of antiparasitic strategies for small lacertid lizards, this study evaluated the safety and efficacy of oral administration of afoxolaner for controlling mite infestations. A total of 178 lizards were clinically examined and treated with a single oral dose of afoxolaner (2.5 mg/kg). Mite infestation was monitored before treatment (T0) in all lizards. In addition, 20 specimens kept in individual enclosures and 30 from outdoor enclosures, were checked at 24 h (T1), 7 days (T2), 14 days (T3), and 28 days (T4) post-treatment. Ectoparasites were identified using both morphological and molecular methods as Ophionyssus lacertinus, and molecular screening was performed to detect vector-borne pathogens. Before treatment, 90 out of 178 lizards (50.6%) were infested with mites, with the prevalence rapidly declining in the follow up, until mite clearance at day 28 post-administration, in single housed lizards, and as low as 5% prevalence in those kept outdoors. Other lizard species (captive and free-living) (i.e., Podarcis muralis, P. siculus, Timon lepidus) were also infested, potentially being the source of mites. These findings suggest that oral afoxolaner is an effective treatment for controlling mite infestations in small lacertid lizards, with important implications for conservation management.
Ambient fine particulate matter (PM) is a pervasive environmental stressor with well-established impacts on human health, yet its influence on vector-borne disease dynamics remains poorly understood. This study investigated whether ambient exposure to biomass-burning-derived PM2.5 affects key biological traits of Aedes aegypti, a major vector of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses. Size-fractionated particulate matter collected during the 2024 haze season in Chiang Mai, Thailand, was characterized for carbonaceous components, water-soluble ions, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and oxidative potential (OP). Mosquitoes from two laboratory strains and one field-derived strain were exposed to clean air (0 - 7.8 μg/m3 PM2.5) or ambient air during the biomass-burning haze period (57.6 - 283.1 μg/m3 PM2.5) for seven days. Submicron particles (<0.49 μm) were enriched in carbonaceous aerosols, PAHs, and secondary inorganic ions, and exhibited elevated oxidative potential, indicating a chemically reactive exposure environment. Ambient PM exposure significantly reduced blood-feeding success, blood meal volume, and fecundity across all strains, with smaller reductions observed in the field-derived strain, suggesting enhanced tolerance associated with prior pollution exposure. These findings indicate that chemically reactive PM2.5 can disrupt mosquito feeding-reproduction processes under haze conditions. Although oxidative stress was not directly measured in mosquito tissues, the chemical reactivity and elevated oxidative potential of the particles suggest that oxidative stress-related mechanisms may represent a plausible contributing pathway. This study highlights air pollution as an environmental stressor with potential implications for mosquito ecology in regions affected by recurrent biomass-burning haze.
Heilongjiang Province shares a 2,981-km border with the Russian Federation and runs the largest land-port network in China. The sheer volume and diversity of cross-border movement at these ports complicates infectious disease surveillance and control. Although some individual ports and pathogens have been examined separately, a province-wide integrated analysis spanning all 18 border port municipalities has been absent. This study aimed to characterise the notifiable-disease burden across those municipalities and to identify the diseases warranting priority attention. Individual case records of notifiable infectious diseases reported between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2023 were retrieved from China's National Infectious Disease Reporting Information Management System. We computed constituent ratios, crude incidence rates, and disease rankings. Joinpoint regression yielded annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC) estimates. Seasonality was characterised by the direct average seasonal index method. Between-group differences were evaluated with χ² or Fisher's exact tests. A two-tailed P < 0.05 was the threshold for statistical significance, and population denominators came from the Heilongjiang Provincial Statistical Yearbook. Over the decade, 64,865 statutorily notifiable cases (out of 70,244 total reported cases) were recorded, corresponding to a mean annual incidence of 220.30 per 100,000. Respiratory diseases (37.99%) and bloodborne and sexually transmitted diseases (33.68%) jointly accounted for 71.67% of the burden. The five leading diseases were pulmonary tuberculosis (23.56%), hepatitis B (15.81%), influenza (9.85%), syphilis (9.35%), and hand, foot and mouth disease (6.48%). Overall incidence was statistically stable across the period (AAPC 1.85%, 95% CI - 0.18% to 3.93%; P > 0.05), though respiratory diseases trended upward (AAPC 6.61%, P < 0.05) while enteric and zoonotic and vector-borne diseases declined significantly (P < 0.05). Monthly incidence peaked in March (seasonal index 131%) and December (128%). Males outnumbered females (male-to-female ratio 1.51:1; rising to 3.01:1 for zoonotic and vector-borne diseases). The 15-59-year age group contributed 57.54% of cases. Farmers (31.86%), homemakers and the unemployed (23.17%), and students (10.52%) were the principal occupational groups affected. The highest cumulative incidence was observed in Mishan, Suifenhe, Mohe, Muling, and Tongjiang. Respiratory infections should receive heightened prevention efforts in the winter-spring season, whereas bloodborne and sexually transmitted infections call for sustained, risk-focused measures throughout the year. Working-age adults-farmers and homemakers in particular-represent the primary target population. Mishan and Suifenhe warrant reinforced surveillance, and a strengthened China-Russia cross-border joint-prevention mechanism is needed.
Accurately predicting mosquito population dynamics in cities requires models that couple climatic sensitivity with urban spatial heterogeneity. We developed a spatially explicit, climate-driven framework that integrates satellite imagery, field observations, and biology to simulate Aedes aegypti dynamics across heterogeneous urban landscapes. A decomposition technique was introduced to disentangle entomological observations from mixed urban sites into landscape-specific time series for houses, streets, and parks. We provide a robust parameter estimation through a constrained inverse problem, revealing distinct temperature responses and biological processes across environments. Model validation against both egg and adult mosquito data from five Brazilian cities yielded strong correlations with the majority falling between ρ = 0.4 and 0.8, confirming the model's ability to reproduce observed spatiotemporal patterns. This integration of climate dependence, landscape quantification, and empirical validation provides a potential tool for anticipating mosquito abundance across space and time. By identifying periods and locations of elevated risk, the framework supports targeted, cost-effective interventions against dengue and other vector-borne diseases in a rapidly urbanizing and warming world.
Dengue and drought severity are rising worldwide, with drought responses shaping mosquito breeding conditions in cities. Current modeling approaches do not couple household water-use behavior, climate extremes, and vector-borne disease transmission. Here, we developed a system dynamics model that links dengue transmission, human-water interactions, multiple adaptation strategies, and social behavior in a synthetic city. We compared three adaptation pathways: dengue-focused, drought-focused, and co-adaptation guided by social awareness. Results show that adaptation choices strongly affect awareness, water shortages, mosquito abundance, and human infections. Drought-focused adaptation reduces average water shortages, but prolonged standing water in rainwater tanks increases mosquito growth and dengue transmission. Co-adaptation retains drought buffering while limiting favorable habitat for vector growth. Changes in drought-awareness decay can influence dengue outbreaks more strongly than changes in dengue-awareness decay. These results highlight the value of coordinated drought and dengue management for reducing health risks while maintaining water security under climate change.
The gut microbiome undergoes natural selection pressure, likely because it can affect infection resistance by stimulating natural antibody (NAb) production, notably against the glycan Galα1-3Galβ1-4GlcNAc-R (α-Gal). In our study, we explored whether particular glycans, such as α-Gal, from specific host microbiota components could trigger NAbs that, once ingested by Ixodes ricinus ticks during the blood meal, are capable of cross-reacting with bacterial strains in the tick microbiota that share these glycans. Such interactions might alter the tick microbiota and reduce Borrelia afzelii colonization in ticks. When mice were orally administered various Escherichia coli strains, it triggered the stimulation of NAbs and resulted in strain-specific alterations in the tick microbiota. These changes effectively decreased Borrelia colonization in the tick vector. Additionally, vaccination with the glycan α-Gal induced notable shifts in the tick microbiota and similarly reduced Borrelia colonization. Reduced Borrelia colonization was associated with shifts in bacterial diversity, abundance, and microbial network properties. The study provides evidence that natural mechanisms, such as the production of NAb in response to the host gut microbiome, can modulate the microbiota of disease vectors and reduce pathogen colonization within the vector. These findings offer new insights into potential strategies for reducing the transmission of vector-borne diseases through modulation of the host gut microbiome.