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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Climate Change and Emerging Arboviruses
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Climate Change and Emerging Arboviruses

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Virology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 19158

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nariman Shahhosseini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
Interests: arboviruses; entomology; zoonotic diseases; emerging pathogens
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Gary Kobinger

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0610, USA
Interests: emerging infectious diseases; preparedness and response to infectious events and public health concerns; biosafety and biosecurity; vaccinology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It can be anticipated that climate change will affect the geographical distribution of many insect species vectoring human and animal arboviruses in the future. Climate change and globalization have already had a significant impact on the global range, vector competency, and composition of different species of arthropod vectors, including Culicoides biting midge, mosquito, and tick species fauna, potentially promoting the transmission of exotic viruses to previously disease-free areas.

In this Special Issue of Microorganisms (an open access publishing journal), we wish to publish reviews and research articles documenting current knowledge regarding the effect of climate change on the dispersal of emerging arboviruses. We encourage submissions that address topics of novel and emerging/re-emerging arboviruses in previously naïve areas using state-of-the-art genomics, bioinformatics. and machine learning approaches to project future high-risk areas for arboviral diseases. We would like to welcome you and your team to submit an article to this Special Issue based on your expertise in this field. 

Dr. Nariman Shahhosseini
Prof. Dr. Gary Kobinger
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • arboviruses
  • vector-borne viruses
  • genomics
  • viral hemorrhagic fevers
  • phylogenetics

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 577 KiB  
Article
Correlation of Geographic Variables with the Incidence Rate of Dengue Fever in Mexico: A 38-Year Study
by Porfirio Felipe Hernández Bautista, David Alejandro Cabrera Gaytán, Alfonso Vallejos Parás, Olga María Alejo Martínez, Lumumba Arriaga Nieto, Brenda Leticia Rocha Reyes, Carmen Alicia Ruíz Valdez, Leticia Jaimes Betancourt, Gabriel Valle Alvarado, Yadira Pérez Andrade and Alejandro Moctezuma Paz
Microorganisms 2024, 12(12), 2661; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12122661 - 22 Dec 2024
Viewed by 879
Abstract
Background: Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by the mosquitoes Aedes, which is characterized by fever, myalgia and arthralgia. In some cases, it can be fatal. For many years, dengue fever has been endemic to Mexico; however, few studies have investigated the [...] Read more.
Background: Dengue is a viral disease transmitted by the mosquitoes Aedes, which is characterized by fever, myalgia and arthralgia. In some cases, it can be fatal. For many years, dengue fever has been endemic to Mexico; however, few studies have investigated the historical and current extents of dengue fever at the national level or considered the effects of variables such as temperature, precipitation and elevation on its occurrence. Methods: An ecological study was carried out to compare the incidence rates of different types of dengue fever per hundred thousand inhabitants with temperature, precipitation and elevation between 1985 and 2023 in Mexico. The sources of information were the public records of the Ministry of Health and the National Meteorological Service. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed with Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients at an alpha of <0.05. Results: The global linear regression presented an R2 of 0.68 between the mean temperature and the cases of haemorrhagic dengue/severe/with warning signs. The degree of rainfall was not strongly correlated with the incidence rate, except in the eastern part of the country, where average temperature was also strongly correlated with the incidence rate. Nonsevere/classic dengue was most common from 1501 to 2000 m elevation, whereas severe forms of the disease were more prevalent at elevations greater than 2000 m. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Change and Emerging Arboviruses)
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15 pages, 8383 KiB  
Article
Continuous and Dynamic Circulation of West Nile Virus in Mosquito Populations in Bucharest Area, Romania, 2017–2023
by Sorin Dinu, Ioana Georgeta Stancu, Ani Ioana Cotar, Cornelia Svetlana Ceianu, Georgiana Victorița Pintilie, Ioannis Karpathakis, Elena Fălcuță, Ortansa Csutak and Florian Liviu Prioteasa
Microorganisms 2024, 12(10), 2080; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12102080 - 17 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1325
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen with a worldwide distribution. Climate change and human activities have driven the expansion of WNV into new territories in Europe during the last two decades. Romania is endemic for WNV circulation since at least 1996 [...] Read more.
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen with a worldwide distribution. Climate change and human activities have driven the expansion of WNV into new territories in Europe during the last two decades. Romania is endemic for WNV circulation since at least 1996 when the presence of lineage 1 was documented during an unprecedented outbreak. Lineage 2 was first identified in this country during a second significant human outbreak in 2010. Its continuous circulation is marked by clade replacement, and even co-circulation of different strains of the same clade was observed until 2016. The present study aims to fill the information gap regarding the WNV strains that were circulating in Romania between 2017 and 2023, providing chiefly viral sequences obtained from mosquito samples collected in the Bucharest metropolitan area, complemented by human and bird viral sequences. WNV was detected mainly in Culex pipiens mosquitoes, the vectors of this virus in the region, but also in the invasive Aedes albopictus mosquito species. Lineage 2 WNV was identified in mosquito samples collected between 2017 and 2023, as well as in human sera from patients in southern and central Romania during the outbreaks of 2017 and 2018. Both 2a and 2b sub-lineages were identified, with evidence of multiple clusters and sub-clusters within sub-lineage 2a, highlighting the complex and dynamic circulation of WNV in Romania, as a consequence of distinct introduction events from neighboring countries followed by in situ evolution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Change and Emerging Arboviruses)
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10 pages, 1716 KiB  
Article
Genetic Characterization of Sandfly-Borne Viruses in Phlebotomine Sandflies in Iran
by Nariman Shahhosseini, Sarah-Jo Paquette, Mohammad Hassan Kayedi, Mohammad Reza Abaei and Mohammad Mehdi Sedaghat
Microorganisms 2023, 11(11), 2754; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11112754 - 11 Nov 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1491
Abstract
Phleboviruses are classified into two main groups: the sandfly fever group (transmitted by sandflies and mosquitoes) and the Uukuniemi group (transmitted by ticks). Old World sandfly-borne viruses (SBVs) are classified into four main serocomplexes; sandfly fever Naples viruses (SFNVs), sandfly fever Sicilian viruses [...] Read more.
Phleboviruses are classified into two main groups: the sandfly fever group (transmitted by sandflies and mosquitoes) and the Uukuniemi group (transmitted by ticks). Old World sandfly-borne viruses (SBVs) are classified into four main serocomplexes; sandfly fever Naples viruses (SFNVs), sandfly fever Sicilian viruses (SFSVs), Karimabad viruses (KARVs), and Salehabad viruses (SALVs). This study addresses current knowledge gaps on SBVs in Iran by focusing on identification and molecular epidemiology. We used PCR to examine DNA/RNA extracts to identify sandfly species and evaluate for SBV presence. We identified five specimens positive for phleboviruses: one Ph. sergenti for Tehran virus (TEHV), one Ph. papatasi for SFSV, and two Ph. papatasi and one Ph. perfiliewi for KARV. A phylogenetic tree indicated that the TEHV isolate from this study formed a cluster with previous isolates of TEHV, Zerdali virus, and Fermo virus. Meanwhile, the identified SFSV isolate fell in lineage I and was grouped with previous isolates of SFSVs and Dashli virus in Iran. Finally, the KARV isolates from this study formed a monophyletic clade in a sister relationship with other viruses in KARV lineages I and II. This comprehensive study on SBVs in Iran provided new insights into the molecular epidemiology of TEHV, SFSVs and KARVs in this country. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Change and Emerging Arboviruses)
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16 pages, 3066 KiB  
Article
Arbovirus Transmission Predictions Are Affected by Both Temperature Data Source and Modeling Methodologies across Cities in Colombia
by Víctor Hugo Peña-García, Jeffrey C. Luvall and Rebecca C. Christofferson
Microorganisms 2023, 11(5), 1249; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11051249 - 9 May 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2535
Abstract
Weather variables has been described as major drivers of vector proliferation and arbovirus transmission. Among them, temperature has consistently been found to be impactful in transmission dynamics, and models that incorporate temperature have been widely used to evaluate and forecast transmission or arboviruses [...] Read more.
Weather variables has been described as major drivers of vector proliferation and arbovirus transmission. Among them, temperature has consistently been found to be impactful in transmission dynamics, and models that incorporate temperature have been widely used to evaluate and forecast transmission or arboviruses like dengue, zika, or chikungunya virus. Further, there is growing evidence of the importance of micro-environmental temperatures in driving transmission of Aedes aegypti-borne viruses, as these mosquitoes tend to live within domiciles. Yet there is still a considerable gap in our understanding of how accounting for micro-environmental temperatures in models varies from the use of other widely-used, macro-level temperature measures. This effort combines field-collected data of both indoor and outdoor household associated temperatures and weather station temperature data from three Colombian cities to describe the relationship between the measures representing temperature at the micro- and macro-levels. These data indicate that weather station data may not accurately capture the temperature profiles of indoor micro-environments. However, using these data sources, the basic reproductive number for arboviruses was calculated by means of three modeling efforts to investigate whether temperature measure differences translated to differential transmission predictions. Across all three cities, it was determined that the modeling method was more often impactful rather than the temperature data-source, though no consistent pattern was immediately clear. This suggests that temperature data sources and modeling methods are important for precision in arbovirus transmission predictions, and more studies are needed to parse out this complex interaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Change and Emerging Arboviruses)
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Review

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17 pages, 1095 KiB  
Review
Arthropod-Borne Viruses of Human and Animal Importance: Overwintering in Temperate Regions of Europe during an Era of Climate Change
by Karen L. Mansfield, Mirjam Schilling, Christopher Sanders, Maya Holding and Nicholas Johnson
Microorganisms 2024, 12(7), 1307; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12071307 - 27 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2182
Abstract
The past three decades have seen an increasing number of emerging arthropod-borne viruses in temperate regions This process is ongoing, driven by human activities such as inter-continental travel, combined with the parallel emergence of invasive arthropods and an underlying change in climate that [...] Read more.
The past three decades have seen an increasing number of emerging arthropod-borne viruses in temperate regions This process is ongoing, driven by human activities such as inter-continental travel, combined with the parallel emergence of invasive arthropods and an underlying change in climate that can increase the risk of virus transmission and persistence. In addition, natural events such as bird migration can introduce viruses to new regions. Despite the apparent regularity of virus emergence, arthropod-borne viruses circulating in temperate regions face the challenge of the late autumn and winter months where the arthropod vector is inactive. Viruses therefore need mechanisms to overwinter or they will fail to establish in temperate zones. Prolonged survival of arthropod-borne viruses within the environment, outside of both vertebrate host and arthropod vector, is not thought to occur and therefore is unlikely to contribute to overwintering in temperate zones. One potential mechanism is continued infection of a vertebrate host. However, infection is generally acute, with the host either dying or producing an effective immune response that rapidly clears the virus. There are few exceptions to this, although prolonged infection associated with orbiviruses such as bluetongue virus occurs in certain mammals, and viraemic vertebrate hosts therefore can, in certain circumstances, provide a route for long-term viral persistence in the absence of active vectors. Alternatively, a virus can persist in the arthropod vector as a mechanism for overwintering. However, this is entirely dependent on the ecology of the vector itself and can be influenced by changes in the climate during the winter months. This review considers the mechanisms for virus overwintering in several key arthropod vectors in temperate areas. We also consider how this will be influenced in a warming climate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Change and Emerging Arboviruses)
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27 pages, 1234 KiB  
Review
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease Virus: Current Knowledge and Emerging Perspectives
by Luis Jiménez-Cabello, Sergio Utrilla-Trigo, Gema Lorenzo, Javier Ortego and Eva Calvo-Pinilla
Microorganisms 2023, 11(5), 1339; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11051339 - 19 May 2023
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 8573
Abstract
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) of ruminants is a viral pathology that has significant welfare, social, and economic implications. The causative agent, epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), belongs to the Orbivirus genus and leads to significant regional disease outbreaks among livestock and wildlife in [...] Read more.
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) of ruminants is a viral pathology that has significant welfare, social, and economic implications. The causative agent, epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), belongs to the Orbivirus genus and leads to significant regional disease outbreaks among livestock and wildlife in North America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, causing significant morbidity and mortality. During the past decade, this viral disease has become a real threat for countries of the Mediterranean basin, with the recent occurrence of several important outbreaks in livestock. Moreover, the European Union registered the first cases of EHDV ever detected within its territory. Competent vectors involved in viral transmission, Culicoides midges, are expanding its distribution, conceivably due to global climate change. Therefore, livestock and wild ruminants around the globe are at risk for this serious disease. This review provides an overview of current knowledge about EHDV, including changes of distribution and virulence, an examination of different animal models of disease, and a discussion about potential treatments to control the disease. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Change and Emerging Arboviruses)
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