Anticipating Emerging Mosquito-borne Flaviviruses in the USA: What Comes after Zika?

Michelle V Evans; Courtney C Murdock; John M Drake

doi:10.1016/j.pt.2018.02.010

Anticipating Emerging Mosquito-borne Flaviviruses in the USA: What Comes after Zika?

Trends Parasitol. 2018 Jul;34(7):544-547. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2018.02.010. Epub 2018 Mar 15.

Authors

Michelle V Evans¹, Courtney C Murdock², John M Drake³

Affiliations

¹ Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for Tropical Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. Electronic address: mvevans@uga.edu.
² Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for Tropical Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Department of Infectious Disease, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for Vaccines and Immunology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; River Basin Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
³ Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.

Abstract

New mosquito-borne diseases have emerged on multiple occasions over the last several decades, raising fears that there are yet more poorly understood viruses that may emerge in the USA. Here, we provide a data-driven 'watch list' of viruses in the Flaviviridae family with high potential to emerge in the USA, identified using statistical techniques, to enable the public health community to better target surveillance. We suggest that public health authorities further incorporate predictive modeling techniques into disease-prevention strategies.

Keywords: arboviruses; disease surveillance; emerging infectious diseases.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Animals
Communicable Diseases, Emerging* / epidemiology
Communicable Diseases, Emerging* / prevention & control
Communicable Diseases, Emerging* / virology
Flavivirus / physiology*
Flavivirus Infections* / epidemiology
Flavivirus Infections* / prevention & control
Flavivirus Infections* / virology
Health Policy / trends
Humans
Models, Theoretical*
Mosquito Vectors / virology*
Public Health Surveillance*
United States / epidemiology
Zika Virus Infection

Grants and funding

U01 GM110744/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States