Figure 1. Socio-ecological feedbacks of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) throughout human history.

Humans have altered natural environments (yellow) in ways that led to outbreaks of diseases (red) such as plague (P), malaria (M), yellow fever (YF), and trypanosomiasis (T) via mechanisms explained by the corresponding vector ecologies (green). In response to these diseases, human societies have improved technologies, institutions, and infrastructure for human well-being, but also inflicted additional pain and suffering by weaponizing diseases in warfare, and perpetuating hierarchies of power, colonialism, racism, classism, and sexism (blue). Some of these social responses fed back into anthropogenic environmental changes (yellow).