History of Mosquitoborne Diseases in the United States and Implications for New Pathogens

Area of Science:

• * Public Health and Tropical Medicine: Investigating the establishment of tropical pathogens in North America.

Background:

• * Recent introductions of chikungunya and Zika viruses into the Americas highlight concerns about tropical disease establishment.
• * Historical analysis of yellow fever and malaria in the US suggests climate is not the primary barrier to pathogen establishment.

Observation:

• * Socioeconomic changes are identified as the most probable reason for the decline of certain pathogens in the US.
• * Anthroponotic pathogens, reliant on humans for transmission, are more affected by socioeconomic factors than zoonotic pathogens.

Findings:

• * Zoonotic pathogens, such as West Nile virus, are less impacted by socioeconomic factors and have successfully established in North America.
• * The establishment of zoonotic pathogens is primarily influenced by factors other than climate or human population dynamics.

Implications:

• * Globalization increases the risk of introducing new tropical pathogens like Rift Valley fever, Japanese encephalitis, and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus.
• * Public health strategies must consider the impact of globalization on infectious disease emergence in temperate regions.
• * Further research is needed to understand the complex interplay between socioeconomic factors, climate, and pathogen establishment.