Culicoides-borne Orbivirus epidemiology in a changing climate

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Virology
• Epidemiology
• Climate Change Impact

Background:

• Orbiviruses, including bluetongue virus, epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus, and African horse sickness virus, pose significant global health risks to animals.
• These viruses are transmitted by biting midges (Culicoides spp.), whose ecology and distribution are sensitive to environmental conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the multifaceted impacts of global climate change on Orbivirus epidemiology.
• To highlight how climate-driven alterations in vector competence, dispersal, and viral evolution may reshape disease patterns.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on Orbivirus transmission dynamics and climate change.
• Analysis of potential effects of altered temperature, precipitation, and weather patterns on vector-host-virus interactions.
• Examination of climate-induced viral genetic changes, such as reassortment and mutation.

Main Results:

• Climate change is predicted to alter vector competence, extend transmission seasons, and expand the geographic range of Culicoides vectors.
• Weather anomalies like droughts and high wind speeds may influence outbreak frequency and intensity.
• Warming temperatures can facilitate viral reassortment and the emergence of new mutations, potentially increasing viral virulence or host range.

Conclusions:

• Global climate change is fundamentally altering Orbivirus epidemiology, leading to increased risks and geographic spread of diseases like bluetongue and African horse sickness.
• Interdisciplinary approaches are essential for assessing and mitigating the escalating threat of Orbivirus outbreaks in a changing climate.