Global Movement and the Spread of Vector-Borne Diseases: Challenges and Strategies

Estela Gonzalez^1*Rafael Gutierrez-Lopez²

• ¹Animal and Plant Health Agency (United Kingdom), Addlestone, United Kingdom
• ²Instituto de Salud Carlos III Campus de Majadahonda, Majadahonda, Spain

The rapid globalization of human and animal movement, trade, and environmental change has profoundly reshaped the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases (VBDs). Once constrained by climate, ecology, and geography, pathogens and their vectors are increasingly trespassing boundaries, with significant implications for animal and public health. The Research Topic "Global Movement and the Spread of Vector-Borne Diseases: Challenges and Strategies" brings together four contributions that illustrate how these shifts are unfolding across diverse contexts, from the expansion of sandfly habitats in North Africa, to the silent circulation of certain viruses in Central Africa, the migratory human dynamics in Latin America affecting dengue distribution, and the global invasion of mosquito vectors into new regions. Collectively, this highlights the ecological, social, and epidemiological mechanisms that drive disease emergence and spread, indicating gaps in surveillance, infrastructure, and policy integration. Understanding these gaps requires a global perspective on the mechanisms facilitating pathogens and vector spread. In this context, the review by Yan et al. offers a global view on the drivers, limitations, and consequences of mosquito invasions, including species of Aedes, Anopheles and Culex genera. This contribution details how global trade (e.g., used tires, ornamental plants), human mobility, and urbanization facilitate mosquito dispersal across regions. Once introduced, the establishment and spread of invasive vectors are influenced by environmental constraints (e.g., temperature, desiccation tolerance) and biotic factors (e.g., predation, competition). Invasive mosquitoes not only expand the geographic range of known VBDs but may also alter local vector-host-pathogen interactions, intensify transmission, and challenge existing control efforts. The authors advocate for proactive surveillance, improved predictive modelling, and adaptive Integrated Vector Management (IVM) approaches to mitigate these threats.While global drivers set the stage for vector invasions, local ecological, social, and epidemiological contexts shape their actual impact. In this sense, zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL), a neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by Leishmania major, is one of the most significant vector-borne diseases in Morocco, where it causes thousands of human infections with substantial social and economic impact. Through ecological niche modelling, Daoudi et al. forecast the future distributions of Leishmania major, its primary vector Phlebotomus papatasi, and the rodent reservoir Meriones shawi under four Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. The findings indicate likely expansion of suitable habitats for all three species, most notably into the High Atlas, Rif, and eastern regions, posing increased risk for disease emergence in previously unaffected areas. Although habitat gains are relatively modest for L. major (~1.5-1.6%), both the vector and reservoir species are projected to expand more significantly (up to 6%), underlining the ecological fluidity of VBD systems in response to climate change. These projections provide essential guidance for the development of targeted surveillance systems, vector control measures, and public health preparedness strategies in the context of a changing climate. The authors emphasize that these studies are particularly valuable for mitigating the impact of VBDs in vulnerable populations.While climatic changes can reshape the distribution of parasites, vectors, and reservoirs, other contributions in this Research Topic emphasize the equally important influence of social dynamics and human mobility in shaping the emergence and persistence of NTDs. In this respect, Matías-Pérez et al. turn attention to the socio-environmental and migratory drivers of dengue disease in Oaxaca, Mexico. Their review highlights how regional and transnational human migration has led to the introduction of new dengue virus serotypes and contributes to amplifying disease transmission, particularly in precarious urban settings where deficient sanitation and poor housing conditions favour Aedes breeding and proliferation. The analysis highlights a convergence of vulnerabilities: migrants often settle in informal or underserved communities where water storage and waste accumulation create ideal conditions for Aedes mosquito proliferation. While local governments and health agencies have implemented vector control and health promotion strategies, the authors make clear that vector control alone is insufficient. They emphasize the persistent challenge of migratory flows. This underscores the need to integrate social determinants and population mobility more explicitly into VBD prevention frameworks. The manuscript recommends strategies, including the enhancement of surveillance systems and targeted vector control, improvement of sanitation infrastructure, development of multilingual outreach campaigns to effectively engage diverse populations, and strengthened coordination among institutions.Together, these perspectives illustrate how the global movement of populations, vectors, and pathogens support both the persistence of NTDs and the emergence of high-consequence viral threats. In this context, Gasparine et al. report the first evidence of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus (CCHFV) exposure in humans and livestock in Cameroon's Centre Region through a One Health approach. Serological testing revealed notable exposure in cattle (~11%) and goats (~3%), with human seroprevalence at ~2% and the detection of two PCR-positive asymptomatic individuals. Importantly, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, an invasive species, rather than the main CCHFV vector, ticks of the Hyalomma genus, is the dominant tick species, suggesting a shift in local vector ecology that may reshape disease dynamics. This silent circulation of CCHFV, undetected by clinical surveillance, illustrates both the power of integrated zoonotic monitoring and the fragility of current detection systems in rural settings. The authors rightly call for enhanced surveillance and public health action before potential outbreaks occur.Taken together, the studies collected in this Research Topic highlight the diverse and dynamic ways in which global movement of people, pathogens, animals, and vectors contributes to the spread, emergence and re-emergence of VBDs. This expansion is driven not only by climatic change but also by human mobility, global trade, and socio-economic vulnerability. Definitely, the fight against VBDs in a rapidly changing world depends not only on technological and epidemiological innovation but also political will, intersectoral coordination, and, most importantly, sustained investment in human and animal health systems.