Emerging zoonoses and vector-borne infections affecting humans in Europe

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Public Health
• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Zoonotic diseases pose significant public health threats.
• Monitoring emerging infectious diseases is crucial for timely intervention.
• Understanding disease emergence patterns aids in developing effective control strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and describe emerging zoonotic diseases in European countries between 2000 and 2006.
• To analyze the spectrum of identified zoonotic pathogens.
• To highlight key risk factors associated with disease emergence.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive Medline database search was conducted from January 1966 to August 2006.
• Specific criteria for pathogen emergence were applied to identify relevant zoonotic agents.
• Data analysis focused on pathogens identified within the 2000-2006 timeframe.

Main Results:

• Fifteen emerging zoonotic pathogens were identified in Europe (2000-2006).
• Pathogens included Rickettsiae spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, Bartonella spp., Francisella tularensis, Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever Virus, Hantavirus, Toscana virus, Tick-borne encephalitis virus group, West Nile virus, Sindbis virus, Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Trichinella spp., and Echinococus multilocularis.
• Climatic variations, human activities, and the movement of animals, people, or goods were identified as primary risk factors.

Conclusions:

• Emerging zoonotic diseases in Europe present a complex challenge requiring multi-disciplinary approaches.
• Integrated preventive strategies are essential for public health protection against these pathogens.
• Harmonized case definitions across Europe are necessary for accurate prevalence and incidence estimation.