Shifting Epidemiological Dynamics of Mosquito-Borne Diseases and Challenges for Their Elimination in India Under the Impact of Climate Change and Global Warming

The propensity with which the arthropod vectors of human and animal diseases have intensified pathogen transmission under the impact of changing climate has portrayed the later as the biggest health threat in the 21st century, with vector-borne diseases affecting more than half of the world population. There are indications of climate change driving spatiotemporal shifts, particularly bolstered by anthropization and vector densification, in prevalence as well as exacerbation of the vector-borne diseases. Identification of such climate-sensitive infections is crucial for mitigating disease threat. Regional changes in the temperature, precipitation, humidity and wind patterns etc. con-tribute to the expansion of diseases like malaria, dengue etc., and emergence of new pathogens and their ability to adapt diverse breeding habitats. Classic case studies malaria forming new foci in the Thar Desert region while dengue spread to hitherto entirely virgin lands of the Kerala State in India. There are multiple governmental programmes to tackle health problems, especially associated with the vector-borne diseases, on a wider front and on a longer-term basis through the creation of permanent multifunctional healthcare delivery institutions. However, addressing these challenges require an interdisciplinary approach that combines entomology, epidemiology, ecology, and consumer public health interwoven within the gamut of Integrated Disease Management.