Vector-borne plagues of the twenty-first century.

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Vector-borne plagues of the twenty-first century.

Journal Title: World Journal of Medical Images, Videos and Cases - Year 2016, Vol 2, Issue

Abstract

Infectious diseases transmitted by arthropod vectors have been a part of human history and evolution since the beginning of time. These diseases certainly predated the appearance of humans on earth as diseases of animals and they continue to move from animal reservoirs to human hosts today. The impacts of such great plagues as the Black Death, epidemic typhus and malaria on the course of history remain fascinating examples of how diseases can alter human history. In the 21st Century a number of vector borne diseases have emerged or reemerged and now pose serious threats to public health. Epidemics of yellow fever and dengue have exploded in South America and Africa, chikungunya has moved from Africa to Asia to Europe and the Caribbean islands, and West Nile virus has become established in North America. The spread of Zika virus from unremarkable foci in Africa to epidemic devastation in South America is the latest and certainly not the last of such plagues to spread across the continents.

Authors and Affiliations

Robert W. Gwadz

Keywords

vector mosquito flea plague malaria Zika yellow fever West Nile fever chikungunya

EP ID EP301573
DOI -
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