Environmental Drivers of West Nile Fever Epidemiology in Europe and Western Asia—A Review

Shlomit Paz and Jan C. Semenza
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Shlomit Paz: Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 3498837, Israel
Jan C. Semenza: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Tomtebodavägen 11A, Stockholm 17183, Sweden

IJERPH, 2013, vol. 10, issue 8, 1-20

Abstract: Abiotic and biotic conditions are both important determinants of West Nile Fever (WNF) epidemiology. Ambient temperature plays an important role in the growth rates of vector populations, the interval between blood meals, viral replication rates and transmission of West Nile Virus (WNV). The contribution of precipitation is more complex and less well understood. In this paper we discuss impacts of climatic parameters (temperature, relative humidity, precipitation) and other environmental drivers (such as bird migration, land use) on WNV transmission in Europe. WNV recently became established in southeastern Europe, with a large outbreak in the summer of 2010 and recurrent outbreaks in 2011 and 2012. Abundant competent mosquito vectors, bridge vectors, infected (viremic) migrating and local (amplifying) birds are all important characteristics of WNV transmission. In addition, certain key climatic factors, such as increased ambient temperatures, and by extension climate change, may also favor WNF transmission, and they should be taken into account when evaluating the risk of disease spread in the coming years. Monitoring epidemic precursors of WNF, such as significant temperature deviations in high risk areas, could be used to trigger vector control programs and public education campaigns.

Keywords: West Nile Virus; West Nile Fever; Europe; environmental drivers; epidemiology; climatic factors; climate change; bird migration; land use (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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