Emerging and threatening vector-borne zoonoses in the world and in Europe: a brief update

ABSTRACT

Climatic changes, landscape management, massive human, animal and commodity transportation represent important factors which are contributing to the spread of zoonotic diseases. The environmental and socioeconomic factors affecting the incidence of vector-borne zoonoses and possibilities for the reduction of disease impacts are discussed in the article. The most important zoonoses with expanding area of incidence and/or increasing occurrence are summarized, with special emphasis on the European region. While some diseases and their respective pathogens are indigenous to Europe (e.g. Lyme disease), others have been introduced to Europe from tropical areas (e.g. chikungunya or dengue fever). These emerging diseases may represent a serious threat in near future and better understanding of their spreading mechanisms, pathogenesis and consequent treatment is very important.

KEYWORDS:

• Outbreak
• climatic changes
• pathogen
• host
• immunity
• disease
• zoonotic

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic under project CEITEC 2020 [Grant No. LQ1601].