The VeBDisease specific project investigates climate-driven changes in vector-borne disease dynamics in Romania and proposes strategies to limit their impact.
VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate shapes the transmission, spread and re-emergence of vector-borne diseases by influencing pathogens, vectors, hosts and human populations. At the same time, climate change transforms ecosystems—including urban areas—in ways that can either support or limit the survival and spread of vectors and their hosts. The vector is an organism (most often an arthropod) that transmits an infectious pathogen from an infected human or animal host to an uninfected target human.
Nowadays it becomes essential to develop an integrated approach in order to understand, anticipate, and fight vector-borne emerging animal and zoonotic infectious diseases. The One Health concept unites human, animal, and ecosystem health into a single, interconnected system.
The pathogen–host–vector–environment interface. Image Source: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008302.g002
DATA AND METHODS
In Europe, several vector-borne viruses pose growing public health concerns, including arboviruses such as chikungunya (CHIKV), dengue (DENV), Zika (ZIKV) and West Nile virus (WNV), alongside tick-borne viruses such as encephalitis (TBEV) and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV). For some of them (such as WNV, DENV, and TBEV), several hundred human cases (imported or indigenous) are detected each year in Romania.
In the context of One Health, an integrated surveillance system needs to be considered - one that combines human and animal health monitoring (detection of cases and identification of animal reservoirs), entomological surveillance (vector identification and risk assessment), and environmental monitoring and modeling.
CASE STUDIES - Examples:
Mosquitoes and ticks: West Nile (WNV) Vectors testing in Tulcea County (2023-2024)
In Romania, more than 900 cases of WN have been confirmed between 1997 and 2023.
Data Source: National Institute of Public Health, from the WNV Infection Surveillance and Control System
- Location: Tulcea
The Danube Delta region represents an area at risk in the context of climate change for the transmission of infection with CCHFV, WNV and TBEV. Mosquitoes and ticks collection campaigns took place from May to October.
- Analysis:
- 1536 mosquitoes belonging to seven species have been identified: Anopheles hyrcanus, Anopheles maculipennis, Culex pipiens complex, Aedes vexans, Aedes caspius, Aedes albopictus, and Uranotaenia unguiculata. They were preserved at -80°C, and for analysis divided into 78 pools (5-30 specimens/pool), so 1507 mosquitoes were tested.
The PureLink Genomic DNA Mini Kit was used for DNA extraction along with the qPCR-CFX96™ Real-Time testing instrument.
SOCIETAL IMPACT
Because arthropods and other vectors are ectothermic, higher temperature variations associated with climate change are expected to enhance their abundance, survival and feeding activity, while accelerating pathogen development within the vector component. But climate change is already impacting human and animal health—demanding urgent and decisive action.
The VeBDisease website (iuls.ro/dteclimate) contains additional information on specific project objectives, implementation activities, and results.
Image Source: Shutterstock