Arboviruses and Climate
A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Viruses".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 December 2023) | Viewed by 1236
Special Issue Editors
2. Católica Biomedical Research Centre, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: ecology of infectious disease; computational biology
2. Sciences and Technologies for Sustainable Development and One Health, University of Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, Italy
Interests: phylogenetic; phylodynamic; molecular evolution; genomic surveillance; WGS; emerging and re-emerging viral pathogens
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Global changes in environmental conditions that favour a closer proximity between vector and host populations are facilitating the spread of arboviruses (arthropod-borne viruses) to both humans and other animals. These processes, which include climate change, urbanisation, trade, deforestation and migration, are interacting and evolving, creating a complex landscape of current and future transmission risk. For example, the recent emergence (2013-2014) and epidemic spread of the mosquito-borne Zika and chikungunya viruses has caused severe health and economic impacts in Latin America. Tick-borne viruses, although often receiving less attention by the research community compared to mosquito-borne viruses, are also on the rise (e.g., the Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever virus and African swine fever virus).
The evolutionary and host–pathogen history of arboviruses is vastly diverse, characterised by different geographical origins and current circulation ranges, a multitude of host and vector species, and even the presence or absence of antigenic variation. Universally, the spatiotemporal dynamics of arboviruses are primarily governed by the interplay between virus, vector and host. On the vector side, carrying capacity and seasonal oscillations in abundance are influenced by many biotic and abiotic factors. Climatic factors are recognised as particularly important because they significantly alter each vector’s potential to transmit the virus by directly causing changes in physical and behavioural traits.
In light of recognised ongoing climate change global trends, it has become increasingly relevant to understand how climate shapes the evolution and host–pathogen dynamics of arboviruses. This Special Issue aims to collate recent work focused on arboviruses in the context of climatic factors. All work exploring the role of past, present and future climate, whether of animal or human arboviruses, empirical or theoretical, is welcome. Original research articles and reviews are welcome.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. José Lourenço
Dr. Marta Giovanetti
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- arbovirus
- climate
- climate change
- arthropods
- vectors
- epidemiology
- evolution
- ecology
- public health
