Emerging arboviral diseases

Abstract

Emerging pathogens pose an important threat to human and animal health. A large proportion of emerging diseases are transmitted by vectors. Recent examples such as Schmallenberg disease, tick-borne encephalitis, Usutu, and West Nile Fever have shown that Dutch livestock, wildlife, and human populations are at risk of outbreaks of emerging vector-borne diseases. Pathogen spillover to new host populations can be the starting point of emergence, but for this to occur, favourable conditions for host, vector, and virus need to align in space and time. The circumstances enabling disease emergence are constantly shifting due to global and local changes for example in human demographics, land use, international travel, and climate. Given the clear interplay between human, animal, and environmental health, it is crucial to approach the challenge of emerging vector-borne diseases with a One Health perspective. Within the One Health PACT (Predicting Arbovirus Climate Tipping points) research consortium we follow an integrated approach measuring and modelling how projected changes will impact the risk of emergence of arboviruses in the Netherlands, and translating this understanding into effective, integrated outbreak preparedness and response actions.