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. 2020 Apr 20;21(5):479–483. doi: 10.1038/s41590-020-0648-y

Table 2.

Non-climate drivers of the transmission and spread of vector-borne diseases

Globalization and environment
Driver Effect
Deforestation, mining and dams Change vector and non-human host habitats
Ecosystem degradation/change Changes vector and non-human host habitats
International travel and trade Spreads pathogen and vector
Urbanization Provides an ideal habitat for A. aegypti
Population displacement Spreads pathogen to new locations or puts immunologically susceptible populations in contact with the vector and pathogen
Sociodemographic factors
Driver Effect
Population demographic composition Children, the elderly and pregnant women may have elevated vulnerability
Level of economic development Quality of housing (including presence of air conditioning) affects exposure to vectors
Baseline incidence of disease Vulnerability to climate change may be highest at the margins of current endemic areas
Population health status Low level of population health increases vulnerability
Humanitarian crises War and famine confer high vulnerability
Public health systems
Driver Effect
Surveillance Passive and active surveillance inform prevention and control efforts
Early warning systems Preemptive vector control and other public health responses occur before impending outbreaks
Vector control Vector control measures reduce vector abundance
Quality of healthcare system Access to and quality of healthcare can affect size of infected human population, as well as case fatality rate and prevalence and severity of disabilities
Research Research on vector control, disease treatment, vaccine development, pathogen and vector evolution, and how to best coordinate prevention and control efforts across sectors, can lead to progress in control of vector-borne diseases
Vector and pathogen characteristics
Driver Effect
Insecticide resistance Vector proliferation
Vector evolution Potential for greater vectorial capacity
Pathogen drug resistance Increased pool of infected humans
Pathogen evolution Potential for higher pathogen transmissibility or virulence