Invasive Species and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases—a One Health Perspective
A special issue of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease (ISSN 2414-6366). This special issue belongs to the section "One Health".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 205
Special Issue Editors
2. College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, 602 Duncan Dr, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
Interests: parasite-host dynamics; vector-borne diseases of humans and animals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The global spread of invasive species is fundamentally altering ecosystems and reshaping the dynamics of zoonotic infectious diseases, with far-reaching consequences for human, animal, and environmental health. In tropical and subtropical regions in particular, invasive species introduced through trade, travel, land-use change, and climate-driven range expansion increasingly function as novel hosts, reservoirs, vectors, or ecological disruptors that facilitate pathogen emergence, spillover, and sustained transmission. These processes underscore the urgent need for a One Health approach that recognizes the inseparability of human health, animal health, and ecosystem integrity.
Goal of this Special Issue:
This Special Issue seeks to advance One Health–oriented research and applications that explicitly integrate ecological, epidemiological, veterinary, entomological, and social science perspectives to understand and mitigate invasion-driven zoonotic disease risks. We invite contributions that examine how invasive species alter host–pathogen–vector networks, disrupt ecological regulation of disease, and challenge conventional public health, veterinary, and conservation strategies. Particular emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary studies that link biological processes with social, economic, and governance contexts across scales.
Topics for submissions
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to invasive vectors and reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens; mechanisms by which biological invasions modify disease emergence and transmission; impacts of invasive species on native biodiversity and ecosystem services relevant to disease regulation; climate and land-use interactions that amplify invasion-related zoonotic threats; integrated surveillance systems spanning human, animal, and environmental health; One Health–informed modeling and risk assessment; and cross-sectoral management, policy, and community-engaged interventions that generate co-benefits for health and conservation.
Conclusion
By centering invasive species within a One Health framework, this Special Issue aims to generate actionable knowledge that supports integrated prevention, early detection, and response strategies, strengthening resilience to zoonotic diseases while promoting sustainable and equitable health outcomes for people, animals, and ecosystems.
Dr. Sarah Zohdy
Dr. Jessica Carag
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease 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
- invasive species
- infectious disease ecology
- zoonotic diseases
- biological invasions
- public health
- habitat loss
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