75
et al. 2012). This tick species has established populations in southern and eastern
Europe but may extend its distribution to some areas of Italy, the Balkans and southern Russia when climatic conditions are improved, especially in autumn (EstradaPena et al. 2012).
4.3 Biodiversity and VBDs: The Large Unknowns
4.3.1 Pathogen Diversity
The diversity of potential human pathogens, the species diversity and phenotypic
plasticity of vectors and the biodiversity of their reservoir hosts is largely unexplored. On our planet, an immense but largely unknown diversity of viral species is
hosted by mammals and birds (estimate over 1.3 million, http://www.globalviromeproject.org/overview/). Approximately 38% of these viral species could result
in VBDs in humans. The Global Virome Project will explore this biodiversity of
viruses over the next 10 years, which may result in many surprises for the VBD
research community.
4.3.2 Vector Diversity
The understanding of spatio-temporal phenotypic diversity and genetic architectures of vector populations under current and climate change conditions is crucial
for vector control management. Local knowledge on phenotypic diversity to insecticide resistance can foster success in chemical vector control. The worldwide
insecticide resistance network WIN is currently tracking insecticide resistance in
mosquito disease vectors on a global scale and consults with the WHO and member
states on how to improve insecticide resistance surveillance and implement alternative vector control tools (https://win-network.ird.fr/). Likewise, the understanding
of vector ecology and in particular the understanding of age-structure of field populations, the adaptive behaviour of vectors, and context-dependence of vector capacities fundamentally affect the success rate of biotechnological interventions. The
efficiency of biological and genetic vector control is in some cases defined by the
available number of targeted life stages. In others, the ratio of released Wolbachia
contaminated insects and genetically modified or radiation-sterilised males and the
virgin wildtype counterparts in a field population determines the suppression rate of
vector populations and hence the degree of disease control (Iturbe-Ormaetxe et al.
2011; Ross et al. 2017). Our lack of basic ecological knowledge even with a prominent vector such as Anopheles gambiae for malaria disease could blunt our new
biotechnological weapons for vector control (Alphey and Alphey 2014; Ferguson
et al. 2010).
4 Vector-Borne Diseases
et al. 2012). This tick species has established populations in southern and eastern
Europe but may extend its distribution to some areas of Italy, the Balkans and southern Russia when climatic conditions are improved, especially in autumn (EstradaPena et al. 2012).
4.3 Biodiversity and VBDs: The Large Unknowns
4.3.1 Pathogen Diversity
The diversity of potential human pathogens, the species diversity and phenotypic
plasticity of vectors and the biodiversity of their reservoir hosts is largely unexplored. On our planet, an immense but largely unknown diversity of viral species is
hosted by mammals and birds (estimate over 1.3 million, http://www.globalviromeproject.org/overview/). Approximately 38% of these viral species could result
in VBDs in humans. The Global Virome Project will explore this biodiversity of
viruses over the next 10 years, which may result in many surprises for the VBD
research community.
4.3.2 Vector Diversity
The understanding of spatio-temporal phenotypic diversity and genetic architectures of vector populations under current and climate change conditions is crucial
for vector control management. Local knowledge on phenotypic diversity to insecticide resistance can foster success in chemical vector control. The worldwide
insecticide resistance network WIN is currently tracking insecticide resistance in
mosquito disease vectors on a global scale and consults with the WHO and member
states on how to improve insecticide resistance surveillance and implement alternative vector control tools (https://win-network.ird.fr/). Likewise, the understanding
of vector ecology and in particular the understanding of age-structure of field populations, the adaptive behaviour of vectors, and context-dependence of vector capacities fundamentally affect the success rate of biotechnological interventions. The
efficiency of biological and genetic vector control is in some cases defined by the
available number of targeted life stages. In others, the ratio of released Wolbachia
contaminated insects and genetically modified or radiation-sterilised males and the
virgin wildtype counterparts in a field population determines the suppression rate of
vector populations and hence the degree of disease control (Iturbe-Ormaetxe et al.
2011; Ross et al. 2017). Our lack of basic ecological knowledge even with a prominent vector such as Anopheles gambiae for malaria disease could blunt our new
biotechnological weapons for vector control (Alphey and Alphey 2014; Ferguson
et al. 2010).
4 Vector-Borne Diseases