The Impact of Deforestation, Urbanization, and Changing Land Use Patterns on the Ecology of Mosquito and Tick-Borne Diseases in Central America
Central America is a unique geographical region that connects North and South America, enclosed by the Caribbean Sea to the East, and the Pacific Ocean to the West. This region, encom- passing Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua, is highly vulnerable to...
| Autores Principales: | Ortiz, Diana I., Romero Vega, Luis M., Wagman, Joseph, Troyo, Adriana, Piche-Ovares, María Marta |
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| Formato: | Artículo |
| Idioma: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
MDPI
2023
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: |
http://hdl.handle.net/11056/25853 https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13010020 |
| Sumario: |
Central America is a unique geographical region that connects North and South America,
enclosed by the Caribbean Sea to the East, and the Pacific Ocean to the West. This region, encom-
passing Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Nicaragua, is highly
vulnerable to the emergence or resurgence of mosquito-borne and tick-borne diseases due to a com-
bination of key ecological and socioeconomic determinants acting together, often in a synergistic
fashion. Of particular interest are the effects of land use changes, such as deforestation-driven ur-
banization and forest degradation, on the incidence and prevalence of these diseases, which are not
well understood. In recent years, parts of Central America have experienced social and economic
improvements; however, the region still faces major challenges in developing effective strategies and
significant investments in public health infrastructure to prevent and control these diseases. In this
article, we review the current knowledge and potential impacts of deforestation, urbanization, and
other land use changes on mosquito-borne and tick-borne disease transmission in Central America
and how these anthropogenic drivers could affect the risk for disease emergence and resurgence
in the region. These issues are addressed in the context of other interconnected environmental and
social challenges. |
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