CONGRESS 2023 - Emerging arthropod-borne viral threats to the UK

Globally, arthropod-borne viral diseases represent one the of greatest threats to public and animal health. Vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks and midges transmit a vast range of viruses. For the UK, historically free of many arthropod-borne pathogens, events in mainland Europe have had a profound impact on the risk of disease emergence and this trend will continue. Mosquito-borne viruses provide an example of this process where the introduction of exotic species, such as the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) across much of Europe, has increased the risk of emergence of human pathogens such as dengue and chikungunya fever. This mosquito species has also been detected in southern England. In recent decades there has been a dramatic increase in the distribution of zoonotic viruses such as West Nile and Usutu in mainland Europe that are making the introduction of these pathogens through short distance bird migration increasingly likely. This has been realised with the repeated detection of Usutu virus in Central London during the late summer months since 2020. In the absence of vaccines against many of these viruses, early detection linked to public awareness campaigns offer the best options for mitigating the impact of these threats.

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