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Published: October 5, 2025
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Vector-Borne Infections: Climate, Travel, and the Expanding Map of Disease
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other disease-carrying vectors are expanding their range as global temperatures rise, weather patterns shift, and human development pushes into new ecological zones. Once considered tropical, diseases like dengue, Zika, West Nile, and chikungunya are now showing up in cities and suburbs across the U.S., Europe, and beyond.
This hub brings together Dr. Jay Varma’s reporting on vector-borne infections—connecting climate data, travel risks, and surveillance systems into one place. These aren’t isolated outbreaks; they’re a warning system. From tracking arboviruses in temperate climates to preparing travelers for yellow fever documentation, the goal is to help clinicians, policymakers, and the public see the bigger picture—and act early.
Sub-Clusters
Mosquito-Borne Diseases
How warming climates, global travel, and fragile surveillance systems are driving new patterns in mosquito-borne infections.
- West Nile Virus in the UK: A Warning Sign from a Warming World — Explores how rising temperatures enable mosquito populations to thrive in new regions and the surveillance challenges this creates.
- Why Yellow Fever Is Back in the Headlines — And What Travelers Need to Know — Explains vaccination requirements, outbreak drivers, and travel health precautions.
- Planning a Trip to Hawaii? Here’s What You Should Know About Zika Virus — Offers prevention tips and explores what Zika taught public health about surveillance, media, and birth outcomes.
Tick-Borne and Emerging Vector Threats
Tick-borne illness is on the rise—and it’s not just Lyme. As climate zones shift, new vectors and reservoirs are reshaping U.S. disease risk.
- Why New Yorkers Need to Pay Attention to Ticks This Year — Highlights how warmer winters are driving tick survival and what public-health surveillance can do to reduce risk.
- Deadly Virus in the Sierra Nevada: What You Should Know About Hantavirus in Mammoth — Examines rodent-borne infections and the intersection of tourism, rural housing, and climate-driven outbreak risk.
Why This Hub Matters
Vector-borne infections are not just tropical problems—they’re climate-sensitive, travel-sensitive, and infrastructure-sensitive. As surveillance weakens, travel increases, and ecosystems shift, the risks will only grow. Prevention means more than mosquito nets—it means data-sharing, traveler guidance, vaccination policy, and real-time mapping that anticipates where risk is heading, not just where it’s been.
Dr. Varma’s writing connects global patterns to local realities—helping readers understand how environmental change is rewriting the map of infectious disease, and how public health systems must evolve to match it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are vector-borne diseases and how do they spread?
- Why are mosquito-borne viruses appearing in temperate regions?
- How does climate change affect tick and rodent populations?
- What vaccines are recommended for travel to tropical regions?
- What’s the difference between outbreak containment and ongoing prevention for vector diseases?
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