Biomaterial Database

Impact of drought on vector-borne diseases--how does one manage the risk? 2014

L Brown, and J Medlock, and V Murray

Extreme Events and Health Protection, Public Health England, UK. Electronic address: lisa.m.brown@phe.gov.uk.

OBJECTIVE This article aimed to review all literature on drought and vector-borne disease to enable an assessment of the possible impact of drought on the changing risk of vector-borne diseases in the UK. METHODS A systematic literature review was performed. METHODS Using a search strategy developed from a combination of terms for drought and selected outcomes, the authors systematically reviewed all available literature from 1990 to 2012 on the impact of drought on vector-borne diseases. The following databases were searched: PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE. After reviewing the abstracts, 38 articles were found to fit the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS Evidence found drought followed by re-wetting can have a substantial effect on water table levels, vegetation, and aquatic predators; all factors which influence mosquito populations. Several studies found an association between a drought during the previous year and West Nile virus incidence. Urban mosquito vectors of dengue virus and chikungunya virus are adaptable by nature and are able to exploit a multitude of additional aquatic habitats created as a response to drought (i.e. water storage containers). Tick populations are likely to be negatively affected by drought as they are dependent upon high levels of humidity and soil moisture. CONCLUSIONS Further research is needed to identify public health interventions and environmental control measures for an invasive mosquito problem or arthropod-borne disease outbreak in the UK.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007303	Insect Vectors	Insects that transmit infective organisms from one host to another or from an inanimate reservoir to an animate host.	Insect Vector,Vector, Insect,Vectors, Insect
D009033	Culicidae	A family of the order DIPTERA that comprises the mosquitoes. The larval stages are aquatic, and the adults can be recognized by the characteristic WINGS, ANIMAL venation, the scales along the wing veins, and the long proboscis. Many species are of particular medical importance.	Mosquitoes,Mosquitos,Mosquito
D003715	Dengue	An acute febrile disease transmitted by the bite of AEDES mosquitoes infected with DENGUE VIRUS. It is self-limiting and characterized by fever, myalgia, headache, and rash. SEVERE DENGUE is a more virulent form of dengue.	Dengue Fever,Break-Bone Fever,Breakbone Fever,Classical Dengue,Classical Dengue Fever,Break Bone Fever,Classical Dengue Fevers,Classical Dengues,Dengue Fever, Classical,Dengue, Classical,Fever, Break-Bone,Fever, Breakbone,Fever, Dengue
D004196	Disease Outbreaks	Sudden increase in the incidence of a disease. The concept includes EPIDEMICS and PANDEMICS.	Outbreaks,Infectious Disease Outbreaks,Disease Outbreak,Disease Outbreak, Infectious,Disease Outbreaks, Infectious,Infectious Disease Outbreak,Outbreak, Disease,Outbreak, Infectious Disease,Outbreaks, Disease,Outbreaks, Infectious Disease
D006113	United Kingdom	Country in northwestern Europe including Great Britain and the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland, located between the North Sea and north Atlantic Ocean. The capital is London.	Great Britain,Isle of Man
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001179	Arthropod Vectors	Arthropods, other than insects and arachnids, which transmit infective organisms from one host to another or from an inanimate reservoir to an animate host.	Arthropod Vector,Vector, Arthropod,Vectors, Arthropod
D013987	Ticks	Blood-sucking acarid parasites of the order Ixodida comprising two families: the softbacked ticks (ARGASIDAE) and hardbacked ticks (IXODIDAE). Ticks are larger than their relatives, the MITES. They penetrate the skin of their host by means of highly specialized, hooked mouth parts and feed on its blood. Ticks attack all groups of terrestrial vertebrates. In humans they are responsible for many TICK-BORNE DISEASES, including the transmission of ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER; TULAREMIA; BABESIOSIS; AFRICAN SWINE FEVER; and RELAPSING FEVER. (From Barnes, Invertebrate Zoology, 5th ed, pp543-44)	Ixodida,Ixodidas,Tick
D014901	West Nile Fever	A mosquito-borne viral illness caused by the WEST NILE VIRUS, a FLAVIVIRUS and endemic to regions of Africa, Asia, and Europe. Common clinical features include HEADACHE; FEVER; maculopapular rash; gastrointestinal symptoms; and lymphadenopathy. MENINGITIS; ENCEPHALITIS; and MYELITIS may also occur. The disease may occasionally be fatal or leave survivors with residual neurologic deficits. (From Joynt, Clinical Neurology, 1996, Ch26, p13; Lancet 1998 Sep 5;352(9130):767-71)	Kunjin virus Infection,Encephalitis, West Nile Fever,WNV Infection,West Nile Fever Encephalitis,West Nile Fever Meningitis,West Nile Fever Meningoencephalitis,West Nile Fever Myelitis,West Nile Virus Infection,Infection, Kunjin virus,Infection, WNV,Kunjin virus Infections,WNV Infections