Global impact of mosquito biodiversity,

human vector-borne diseases and

environmental changes

Sylvie MANGUIN, PhD, Research Professor

IRD, University of Montpellier, France

sylvie.manguin@ird.fr

Climate change: Observation, Analysis and Health, Bogor, Indonesia, October 28-30, 2015

• High ability to colonize new territories

• Closely linked to human activity, especially

water storage, global movement of trade goods

allowing a passive dispersion of IMS,

previously confined to specific regions

Invasive mosquito species

(IMS)

Spectacular invasions of some mosquito species

associated with the spread of vector-borne diseases

Aedes spp. and Yellow Fever, Dengue, Chikungunya, Zika

epidemics

Culex spp. and West Nile, Rift Valley, St Louis

encephalitis epidemics

Anopheles spp. and malaria epidemics

IMS and the spread of

diseases

What makes a mosquito

species invasive? Mosquito genus Aedes Culex

Main invasive phase Eggs, larvae Eggs, larvae

Main human-

assisted

introduction mode

Small water-filled

containers in boats

(domestic jars, tires)

Small water-filled

containers in boats

Duration of survival

during

transportation

Few days to several

months

Few days to several

months

Biological

characteristic Eggs resistant to

desiccation

--

Major invasive

vector species Ae. aegypti,

Ae. albopictus

Cx pipiens,

Cx quinquefasciatus

Major associated

vector-borne

diseases

Yellow Fever,

Dengue,

Chikungunya, Zika

West Nile, Japanese

encephalitis, Rift

Valley

Manguin & Boëte, 2011

Anopheles

Adults

Cars,

airplanes,

speed boats

Few hours

to days

--

An.

arabiensis

Malaria

What makes a mosquito

species invasive? Mosquito genus Aedes Culex

Main invasive phase Eggs, larvae Eggs, larvae

Main human-assisted

introduction mode Small water-filled

containers in boats

(domestic jars, tires)

Small water-filled

containers in boats

Duration of survival

during transportation Few days to several

months

Few days to several

months

Biological

characteristics Eggs resistant to

desiccation

--

Major invasive vector

species Ae. aegypti,

Ae. albopictus

Cx pipiens, Cx

quinquefasciatus

Major associated

vector-borne

diseases

Yellow Fever,

Dengue,

Chikungunya, Zika

West Nile, Japanese

encephalitis, Rift

Valley

Manguin & Boëte, 2011

Anopheles

Adults

Cars,

airplanes,

speed boats

Few hours

to days

--

An.

arabiensis

Malaria

Aedes aegypti & Ae. albopictus

aegypti albopictus

Thorax of Aedes adults with specific black and white

pattern; a) Aedes aegypti, b) Aedes albopictus

Aedes aegypti

Aedes albopictus (Tiger mosquito)

Global distribution of Aedes aegypti and recent Dengue epidemics

in blue: distribution of Ae. aegypti

in red, regions with both Ae. aegypti and dengue epidemics

Origin

Global invasion of Aedes aegypti

and Dengue epidemics

19th century 16th century

Slavery

1000 years

BC

20th century

Weaver & Forrester, 2015

Aedes aegypti and Ae albopictus

invasion and Chikungunya epidemics

ECSA: East/Central/South African lineage

Thailand 1958

Indonesia 1982

Based on phylogenetic reconstructions

1. Aedes eggs are resistant to desiccation

(remain viable and hatch after months)

2. Invasive stages are mainly eggs (larvae) transported

globally via the used tire trade and importation of

lucky bamboo from China

3. Preference for anthropic larval habitats

such as tires, gutters, tree holes, cemetery

urns, pots, etc

Factors favoring Aedes

invasion

Current worldwide distribution of Aedes albopictus

Unknown or no data

Indigenous

1981-1990

1991-2000

2001-present

1900-1980

Updated from Bonizzoni et al. 2013

0 2000 4000 8000 12000 16000 KM

N

Spread of Aedes albopictus distribution in Europe (1995-2012)

Dengue and Chik

outbreaks in Italy

and France

Current situation in Europe-2015

Aedes albopictus

present in 20

European

countries

Climatic suitability and expansion in Europe

ECDC: European Center for Disease Prevention & Control

Rogers et al. 2013

Map on the probability of suitability based

on all-dengue database and the modeled

distributions of both vector species, Ae.

aegypti and Ae. albopictus

Global risk map

for Dengue

Suitability for dengue

High risk of Chikungunya and

Dengue outbreaks

Invasion of mosquito vectors through trade

of goods and travelers carrying arboviruses,

who circulate in areas where the vectors are

present, are factors increasing the risk of

propagation of vector-borne diseases at a

global scale

What makes a mosquito

species invasive? Mosquito genus Aedes Culex

Main invasive phase Eggs, larvae Eggs, larvae

Main human-assisted

introduction mode Small water-filled

containers in boats

Small water-filled

containers in boats

Duration of survival

during transportation Few days to

several months

Few days to several

months

Biological

characteristics Eggs resistant to

desiccation

--

Major invasive vector

species Ae. aegypti,

Ae. albopictus

Cx pipiens, Cx

quinquefasciatus

Major associated

vector-borne diseases Yellow Fever,

Dengue,

Chikungunya

West Nile, Japanese

encephalitis, Rift

Valley

Unlike Aedes and Culex, Anopheles mosquitoes are

less incline to invasions

Anopheles

Adults

Cars, airplanes,

speed boats

Few hours to

days

--

An. arabiensis (Gambiae Complex)

Malaria

17

Global map of dominant malaria vector species

Sinka et al. 2012

An. darlingi An. gambiae

An. dirus

An. farauti An. culicifacies

An. leucosphyrus,

An. sundaicus

The most famous and dramatic

invasion of an Anopheles

Invasion of Anopheles arabiensis to Brazil in 1930:

Transportation from West Africa (Senegal) to

Northeast Brazil (Natal) by speed boats

Major malaria epidemics due to

P. falciparum with more than

16,000 deaths in 10 years

Invasion on more than

54,000 km² in 10 years

The military organization set up by the Americans, eradicated

An. arabiensis 10 years after its invasion to Brazil (1940)

Killeen et al. 2002

Airport malaria

Since 1977 with the first reported cases, 71 cases have

been published including 24 in France

18 out of 24 have been reported near the Roissy airport

in Paris

Infected Anopheles specimens can be transported by

plane from a malaria endemic country to a malaria-free

one. Infection of local people who never travelled abroad

Environmental changes

Aedes and Culex vectors: a high ecological plasticity

and they can adapt to environmental changes as they

can occur in urban, rural and forest areas

Anopheles species are a lot more sensitive to

environmental changes, but the diversity of species may

compensate as environmental changes will promote

species and lower others (e.g. deforestation will have a negative

impact on the forest vectors, but it will favor more heliophilic ones)

On a general way, mosquitoes have a high capacity of

adaptation (Anopheles vectors known to be rural species are now adapting

to urban environments)

Conclusions

• Travel is a potent force in vector invasion along

with disease emergence and spread

• The continued growth in global air travel and

shipborne trade is increasing the risk of vector-

borne disease invasions in new areas, including

temperate regions

For more details, see the book chapter

entitled:

”Global impact of mosquito biodiversity,

human vector-borne diseases and

environmental change”

S. Manguin & C. Boete (2011)

Chapter 3, InTech Publisher, 27-50 p.

http://www.intechopen.com/books

InTech Open Access:

Thank you for your attention!