Arthropod-borne disease challenges from planetary warming, urbanization, and migration.

Abstract

As the world confronts simultaneous climate and health emergencies, the spread of emerging infectious diseases, particularly arboviruses, underscores the intersection of planetary health, global mobility, and disease risk. Viral pathogens like Oropouche, dengue, and chikungunya are extending their reach, with expanding vector habitats (ticks, mosquitoes, and others) driven by global warming and changing ambient humidity. Arboviral risks due to these unfavorable vector dynamics are exacerbated by voluntary and involuntary migration of people, urbanization with attendant crowding, and suboptimal water, sanitation, and garbage disposal capacities. The poor surveillance and infectious disease control capacities in low-income settings are now exacerbated by public health infrastructure retrenchments in high income nations like the United States. We emphasize the need for urgent, transdisciplinary integration of climate science, epidemiology, human and animal research, and global health security, suggesting bold strategies to prepare for a new era of cross-border microbial threats.