Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Furqan Tahir, Devendra Bansal, Atiq Ur Rehman, Salah B. Ajjur, Sini Skariah, Samir B. Belhaouari, Hamad Al-Romaihi, Mohammed H. J. Al-Thani, Elmoubasher Farag, Ali A. Sultan, Sami G. Al-Ghamdi
Summary: Qatar, a peninsular country, has hot and humid weather, and 88% of its population consists of immigrants. This makes the country vulnerable to the introduction and spread of vector-borne diseases, partly due to the presence of native arthropod vectors. The changing climatic conditions are expected to make Qatar's weather even warmer. Factors like humidity and temperature play a role in the breeding and distribution of different mosquito species in the region. Without proper precautions, high rates of specific mosquito species can lead to the transmission of various vector-borne diseases. This study analyzes the environmental impact on the occurrence of mosquito species in Qatar and proposes the use of a Naive Bayes model to predict favorable environmental conditions for specific mosquito species. The findings can help in planning and implementing surveillance systems and preventive measures to control the spread of mosquitoes in Qatar.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Joel J. Brown, Mercedes Pascual, Michael C. Wimberly, Leah R. Johnson, Courtney C. Murdock
Summary: This article explores the thermal effects of humidity on the transmission of mosquito-borne pathogens, presenting a conceptual model for how temperature and humidity interact to shape the temperature range in which mosquitoes persist and achieve high transmission potential. The article highlights how neglecting these interactions hinders efforts to predict transmission dynamics and respond to mosquito-borne infections.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
A. N. Anoopkumar, Embalil Mathachan Aneesh
Summary: The global climate change has exacerbated the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, which have long been a public health issue in countries like India. Current mosquito control strategies are primarily ecology-based, but they face various limitations.
ENVIRONMENT DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sarah Cunze, Gustav Glock, Sven Klimpel
Summary: The spatial patterns of reported TBE cases in Germany show a clear pattern with many cases in the south and fewer cases in the north. Temporal patterns fluctuate strongly between years and are relatively synchronized between TBE and LB, with no evidence of weather conditions affecting disease prevalence. Gender bias was observed, with LB more commonly diagnosed in females and TBE more commonly diagnosed in males. Longer time series and standardized reporting are needed for further investigation of underlying driving factors and their interrelations.
Editorial Material
Biology
Robert T. Jones, Thomas H. Ant, Mary M. Cameron, James G. Logan
Summary: Mosquito-borne diseases pose a growing global health challenge, with a need for innovative and diverse control technologies. Various technologies are currently under development, ranging from genetic modifications to alterations in housing design.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wang-Hee Lee, Jae-Woo Song, Sun-Hee Yoon, Jae-Min Jung
Summary: This study developed machine learning-based species distribution models to predict the potential distribution of two invasive ant species globally under current and future climates. The models showed that the potential distribution of Solenopsis invicta would expand with climate change, while it would not significantly change for Anoplolepis gracilipes. The different performance and projection size of the models suggest that optimal model selection is necessary to minimize modeling uncertainty.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
William Wint, Peter Jones, Moritz Kraemer, Neil Alexander, Francis Schaffner
Summary: This study uses historical records and climatic data to construct historical and present distribution models of the yellow fever mosquito in southern Europe, revealing significant changes in its distribution over the past 100 years. The predicted future distribution based on historical models contradicts the predictions based on present day distributions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Hua Zhang, Jinyue Song, Haoxiang Zhao, Ming Li, Wuhong Han
Summary: This study used a geographic detector model and MaxEnt model to predict the potential suitable growth areas of Leptocybe invasa in China in 2030 and 2050. The results indicate that under future climate change scenarios, the core distribution areas of L. invasa in China will be in Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, and Hainan, with a potential spread to high latitude regions. The research has significant theoretical importance for controlling the growth and development of L. invasa and creating effective control measures.
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. Ferraguti, J. Martinez-de la Puente, S. Brugueras, J. P. Millet, C. Rius, A. Valsecchi, J. Figuerola, T. Montalvo
Summary: Mosquitoes, including invasive species, are a significant nuisance and vectors for diseases in urban areas. This study focused on the impact of water infrastructure characteristics and climatic conditions on mosquito occurrence and control measures. The presence of larvae was influenced by sewer types and vegetation in fountains, and larvicidal treatment reduced larvae presence. Climatic conditions played a critical role, with mosquito occurrence increasing at intermediate temperatures and rainfall levels.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Jakub Vojtisek, Oldrich Sebesta, Silvie Sikutova, Helge Kampen, Ivo Rudolf
Summary: Aedes koreicus, an invasive mosquito species originating from East Asia, has established populations in several countries in Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe, as well as Central Asia. Despite the limited knowledge about its biology and ecological requirements, it is considered a potential vector of pathogens and requires careful monitoring. This study reports the first detection of Ae. koreicus in the Czech Republic based on a citizen report.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Jung Seok Lee, Suh Yong Chung
Summary: This study investigates the impact of climate and environmental changes on tick-borne infections and identifies potential high-risk areas in South Korea. They found a correlation between climate change and the surge of tick-borne infections and suggest using climate risk factors to predict the spread of the infections.
JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Yantao Xue, Congtian Lin, Yaozhuo Wang, Wanxue Liu, Fanghao Wan, Yibo Zhang, Liqiang Ji
Summary: Climate change may have different impacts on the potential distribution of invasive cryptic species, which is of practical significance for future regional management strategies.
Article
Parasitology
Lisa Couper, Erin A. Mordecai
Summary: The study identified three previously unrecognized vectors of dog heartworm transmission in California and the climate and land cover variables associated with the presence of each species. The results provide important guidance for surveillance and control efforts targeting these vector species.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
DeAnna J. Friedman-Klabanoff, Megan Birkhold, Mara T. Short, Timothy R. Wilson, Claudio R. Meneses, Joshua R. Lacsina, Fabiano Oliveira, Shaden Kamhawi, Jesus G. Valenzuela, Sally Hunsberger, Allyson Mateja, Gregory Stoloff, Olga Pleguezuelos, Matthew J. Memoli, Matthew B. Laurens
Summary: This study evaluated the immunogenicity and safety of a mosquito salivary peptide vaccine in healthy adults. The results showed that the vaccine had a favorable safety profile and induced robust immune responses. Further research will determine if the vaccine translates into clinical efficacy against mosquito-borne diseases.
Article
Parasitology
Jakub Vojtisek, Nele Janssen, Silvie Sikutova, Oldrich Sebesta, Helge Kampen, Ivo Rudolf
Summary: Aedes japonicus, a mosquito species native to North-East Asia, has recently spread to the Czech Republic. This study used ovitrapping and citizen reports to monitor AIM. The species was found in Prachatice and Mikulov, close to the Czech-German and Czech-Austrian borders, respectively, indicating potential further spread in the country.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mattia Manica, Piero Poletti, Silvia Deandrea, Giansanto Mosconi, Cinzia Ancarani, Silvia Lodola, Giorgio Guzzetta, Valeria D'Andrea, Valentina Marziano, Agnese Zardini, Filippo Trentini, Anna Odone, Marcello Tirani, Marco Ajelli, Stefano Merler
Summary: This study analyzed 976 SARS-CoV-2 exposure events in a small Italian municipality and found that approximately 50%, 21%, and 29% of transmission were associated with household, school, and community contacts, respectively. Students played a significant role in transmission, causing more secondary cases and larger cluster sizes and transmission chains.
INFLUENZA AND OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Karen M. M. Holcomb, Sarabeth Mathis, J. Erin Staples, Marc Fischer, Christopher M. M. Barker, Charles B. B. Beard, Randall J. J. Nett, Alexander C. C. Keyel, Matteo Marcantonio, Marissa L. L. Childs, Morgan E. E. Gorris, Ilia Rochlin, Marco Hamins-Puertolas, Evan L. L. Ray, Johnny A. A. Uelmen, Nicholas DeFelice, Andrew S. S. Freedman, Brandon D. D. Hollingsworth, Praachi Das, Dave Osthus, John M. M. Humphreys, Nicole Nova, Erin A. A. Mordecai, Lee W. W. Cohnstaedt, Devin Kirk, Laura D. D. Kramer, Mallory J. J. Harris, Morgan P. P. Kain, Emily M. X. Reed, Michael A. A. Johansson
Summary: This study evaluated the prediction of West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease (WNND) using forecasts submitted to the 2020 WNV Forecasting Challenge. The results showed that simple models based on historical WNND cases performed better than more complex models and had better calibration of uncertainty. Forecast skill improved throughout the 2020 season and certain data and characteristics were found to be associated with forecast skill variation.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Virology
Giulia Mencattelli, Andrea Silverj, Federica Iapaolo, Carla Ippoliti, Liana Teodori, Annapia Di Gennaro, Valentina Curini, Luca Candeloro, Annamaria Conte, Andrea Polci, Daniela Morelli, Maria Gabriella Perrotta, Giovanni Marini, Roberto Rosa, Federica Monaco, Nicola Segata, Annapaola Rizzoli, Omar Rota-Stabelli, Giovanni Savini
Summary: This paper provides an overview of the epidemiological and genetic features of West Nile virus (WNV) Lineage 2 (L2) in Italy. The study reveals a progressive increase in WNV L2 in Italy and predicts a wider spread in the future. The findings emphasize the importance of using quantitative models for early warning detection of WNV outbreaks.
Article
Ecology
Elisa Thouverai, Matteo Marcantonio, Emanuela Cosma, Francesca Bottegoni, Roberto Cazzolla Gatti, Luisa Conti, Michele Di Musciano, Marco Malavasi, Vitezslav Moudry, Petra Simova, Riccardo Testolin, Piero Zannini, Duccio Rocchini
Summary: Global change caused by human activity has diverse effects on Earth's biomes and alters the functioning of ecological systems. Remote sensing is a vital tool to assess these changes by collecting extensive data on different components of the Earth system at various temporal and spatial resolutions. This study aims to utilize a novel visualization method, helical graphs, to display ecosystem changes using the abundant data obtained through remote sensing. The results demonstrate that helical graphs are valuable in highlighting trends that may not be easily detected in traditional time series analysis. Overall, helical graphs have significant applications in ecology, leveraging the wealth of data available from remote sensing.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Giovanni Marini, Daniele Arnoldi, Annapaola Rizzoli, Valentina Tagliapietra
Summary: By analyzing 17 years of long-term monitoring data, it was found that warm summers and autumn precipitation in the previous year have a significant impact on the population dynamics of Apodemus flavicollis, highlighting the importance of climate in predicting rodent population dynamics and assessing the risk of rodent-borne zoonotic diseases.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lucia Cenni, Andrea Simoncini, Luciano Massetti, Annapaola Rizzoli, Heidi C. Hauffe, Alessandro Massolo
Summary: Global change is expected to have complex effects on the distribution and transmission patterns of zoonotic parasites. Modelling habitat suitability for parasites with complex life cycles is essential to further our understanding of disease systems and make spatial predictions. Using occurrence data and machine learning, we modelled habitat suitability for the parasite E. multilocularis in Europe and predicted its current and future distribution. Results show a northward shift in suitability and a decrease in central Europe.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Virology
Moussa Moise Diagne, Marie Henriette Dior Ndione, Giulia Mencattelli, Amadou Diallo, El Hadji Ndiaye, Marco Di Domenico, Diawo Diallo, Mouhamed Kane, Valentina Curini, Ndeye Marieme Top, Maurilia Marcacci, Maimouna Mbanne, Massimo Ancora, Barbara Secondini, Valeria Di Lollo, Liana Teodori, Alessandra Leone, Ilaria Puglia, Alioune Gaye, Amadou Alpha Sall, Cheikh Loucoubar, Roberto Rosa, Mawlouth Diallo, Federica Monaco, Ousmane Faye, Cesare Camma, Annapaola Rizzoli, Giovanni Savini, Oumar Faye
Summary: This study developed and validated a new amplicon-based sequencing approach for West Nile virus, which can effectively control the diffusion of different lineages. It has great potential for genomic surveillance of the virus.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Giovanni Marini, Valentina Tagliapietra, Fabiana Cristofolini, Antonella Cristofori, Francesca Dagostin, Maria Grazia Zuccali, Silvia Molinaro, Elena Gottardini, Annapaola Rizzoli
Summary: The study found a 2-year time lag correlation between pollen load and the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE). Through research in the province of Trento, it was discovered that the pollen load of two tree species was positively correlated with TBE incidence. This is the first attempt to quantify the correlation between pollen load and TBE incidence, suggesting the potential of pollen load as an early warning system for TBE and other tick-borne diseases.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Elisa Fesce, Giovanni Marini, Roberto Rosa, Davide Lelli, Monica Pierangela Cerioli, Mario Chiari, Marco Farioli, Nicola Ferrari
Summary: West Nile disease is a vector-borne disease caused by West Nile virus (WNV) and transmitted by mosquitoes. The disease involves birds as maintenance hosts and can infect humans and other mammals. Knowledge gaps in WNV dynamics and transmission between birds and mosquitoes, such as the infectious period in birds and mosquito biting rates, hinder the accuracy of model simulations and predictions. A sensitivity analysis in this study identified the duration of the infectious period in birds and mosquito biting rate as the most impactful epidemiological parameters affecting WNV spread. The study also highlighted the wide area at risk for WNV outbreaks.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Duccio Rocchini, Jakub Nowosad, Rossella D'Introno, Ludovico Chieffallo, Giovanni Bacaro, Roberto Cazzolla Gatti, Giles M. Foody, Reinhard Furrer, Lukas Gabor, Marco Malavasi, Matteo Marcantonio, Elisa Marchetto, Vitezslav Moudry, Carlo Ricotta, Petra Simova, Michele Torresani, Elisa Thouverai
Summary: This paper introduces the cblindplot R package and its function cblind.plot(), which allows color blind people to input an image, set their type of color blindness, and obtain a color blind friendly plot. The paper first describes color blind problems in detail, and then gives a step-by-step example of the proposed function. Unlike other examples, the function described in this paper can automatically call the image without any initial import step and can apply the appropriate color ramp palette based on the specified color blindness type.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Francesca Dagostin, Valentina Tagliapietra, Giovanni Marini, Claudia Cataldo, Maria Bellenghi, Scilla Pizzarelli, Rosaria Rosanna Cammarano, William Wint, Neil S. Alexander, Markus Neteler, Julia Haas, Timothee Dub, Luca Busani, Annapaola Rizzoli
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the main ecological and environmental factors that affect the spread of Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) across Europe. The results identify key variables related to vegetation cover, climate, and the presence of tick hosts that contribute to the variability of TBE incidence. The findings can support modeling efforts to estimate the risk of TBEV infections and aid in implementing surveillance and prevention campaigns.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mattia Manica, Giovanni Marini, Angelo Solimini, Giorgio Guzzetta, Piero Poletti, Paola Scognamiglio, Chiara Virgillito, Alessandra della Torre, Stefano Merler, Roberto Rosa, Francesco Vairo, Beniamino Caputo
Summary: The study analyzed the reporting delays during the 2017 Italian chikungunya outbreak and found that the overall median reporting delay was 15.5 days, which was reduced to 8 days after the notification of the first case. Cases with symptom onset after outbreak detection had a higher reporting rate, but only a small percentage of cases were notified within 24 hours. It was also found that a significant number of cases developed symptoms before the detection of the outbreak.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
