Potential entry pathways for 25 vector-borne disease agents

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Epidemiology
• Infectious Disease Ecology
• Public Health Entomology

Background:

• Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) pose a significant threat to animal and public health in the European Union (EU).
• Currently, EU Member States are free from 25 selected VBDs, necessitating proactive identification of potential introduction pathways.
• Understanding these pathways is crucial for effective risk assessment and prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and classify potential entry pathways for 25 selected vector-borne diseases into EU Member States.
• To provide a preparatory step for subsequent EU-level risk assessments concerning disease introduction, spread, and impact.
• To differentiate between vector-related and non-vectorial entry routes.

Main Methods:

• Structured narrative literature reviews were conducted to gather evidence.
• Expert judgment was used to complement the literature review findings.
• Entry pathways were categorized as vector-related or non-vectorial, with a conservative approach excluding only epidemiologically irrelevant routes.

Main Results:

• Vector-related pathways include tick movement on animals, sandfly dispersal, wind-borne midge dispersal (for Culicoides-borne pathogens), and mosquito introduction via aircraft.
• Non-vectorial pathways primarily involve the movement of live animals (livestock, pets, wildlife) and, to a lesser extent, germinal products and animal products.
• Specific pathways were identified for tick-borne, sandfly-borne, Culicoides-borne, mosquito-borne (including West Nile virus), and mechanically transmitted pathogens.

Conclusions:

• The report establishes a structured framework for assessing VBD introduction pathways into the EU.
• Identifying these pathways is a critical first step for comprehensive risk assessment and mitigation planning.
• This work supports enhanced preparedness and response mechanisms against VBDs in the EU.