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. 2013 Aug;21(8):360-3.
doi: 10.1016/j.tim.2013.03.003.

Urbanization and geographic expansion of zoonotic arboviral diseases: mechanisms and potential strategies for prevention

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Urbanization and geographic expansion of zoonotic arboviral diseases: mechanisms and potential strategies for prevention

Scott C Weaver. Trends Microbiol. 2013 Aug.

Abstract

Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) mainly infect people via direct spillover from enzootic cycles. However, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever viruses have repeatedly initiated urban transmission cycles involving human amplification and peridomestic mosquito vectors to cause major epidemics. Here, I review these urban emergences and potential strategies for their prevention and control.

Keywords: arbovirus; mosquito; prevention of transmission; urban.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map showing approximate enzootic origins of dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and yellow fever virus (YFV) (green circles), introductions (green arrows) that established additional documented sites of enzootic transmission (striped green circles), and general patterns (not comprehensive) of the urbanized spread of DENV (red), CHIKV (blue), or YFV (magenta) leading to extant endemic or epidemic strains.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Cartoon depicting the emergence of urban transmission cycles for dengue virus (DENV), yellow fever virus (YFV), and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) from enzootic cycles. Lines through arrows indicate potential points for intervention in enzootic circulation, spillover infections of humans, introductions into the urban cycle, and spillback from urban cycles to initiate arboreal enzootic cycles. The line thickness reflects the likelihood of success of these interventions (a thicker line indicates a greater likelihood of success).

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