Vector-borne diseases (e.g., malaria, filariasis, dengue, chikungunya, Japanese encepha-litis, yellow fever, leishmaniasis etc.) are today one of the major causes of human suffering, both in terms of increasing morbidity/ mortality and stunting intellectual/ economic growth. No country, whether in tropics or temperate and developed or underdeveloped, is spared from their devastating impacts. The global disease burden is nearly unfathomable and there is a necessity to ponder over this issue for developing successful mitigation and response strategies. This book, Vector-Borne Diseases: Epidemiology & Control, explores in a unique way several biological and ecological phenomena of vector-borne diseases in context with their impact on human health and economy, in addition to update our knowledge on emerging regional and global vector-borne disease scenarios, public and animal health preparedness to enhance prevention, control, and therapeutic measures by employing scientific and techn- ological advances through integrating available as well as innovative strategies to address current and future threats. This proceedings book of the 8th Int. Symp. of Vectors and Vector-borne Diseases is comprising 35 highly specialized articles on varied subjects presented in a lucid language and will hopefully serve a good purpose to all the researchers, university/ medical college UG/PG students, general public health enthusiasts/stakeholders and government officials who yearn to be updated on the subject of vector-borne diseases and are in some way or other contributing their bit towards elimination or control of these diseases.

Vector-Borne Diseases - Recent Developments in Epidemiology and Control utilizes the unique capabilities of open-access publishing to share exciting developments in the biology, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases spread by arthropods. From malaria to dengue to leishmaniasis, the diseases addressed in this book continue to present threats to the life and well-being of millions around the world. The international cast of writers published here provide specific insight into a full spectrum of diseases spread by insects and their close relatives.

Vector-borne infectious diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and plague, cause a significant fraction of the global infectious disease burden; indeed, nearly half of the world's population is infected with at least one type of vector-borne pathogen (CIESIN, 2007; WHO, 2004a). Vector-borne plant and animal diseases, including several newly recognized pathogens, reduce agricultural productivity and disrupt ecosystems throughout the world. These diseases profoundly restrict socioeconomic status and development in countries with the highest rates of infection, many of which are located in the tropics and subtropics. Although this workshop summary provides an account of the individual presentations, it also reflects an important aspect of the Forum philosophy. The workshop functions as a dialogue among representatives from different sectors and allows them to present their beliefs about which areas may merit further attention. These proceedings summarize only the statements of participants in the workshop and are not intended to be an exhaustive exploration of the subject matter or a representation of consensus evaluation. Vector-Borne Diseases : Understanding the Environmental, Human Health, and Ecological Connections, Workshop Summary (Forum on Microbial Threats) summarizes this workshop.

Pathogens transmitted among humans, animals, or plants by insects and arthropod vectors have been responsible for significant morbidity and mortality throughout recorded history. Such vector-borne diseases â€" including malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and plague â€" together accounted for more human disease and death in the 17th through early 20th centuries than all other causes combined. Over the past three decades, previously controlled vector-borne diseases have resurged or reemerged in new geographic locations, and several newly identified pathogens and vectors have triggered disease outbreaks in plants and animals, including humans. Domestic and international capabilities to detect, identify, and effectively respond to vector-borne diseases are limited. Few vaccines have been developed against vector-borne pathogens. At the same time, drug resistance has developed in vector-borne pathogens while their vectors are increasingly resistant to insecticide controls. Furthermore, the ranks of scientists trained to conduct research in key fields including medical entomology, vector ecology, and tropical medicine have dwindled, threatening prospects for addressing vector-borne diseases now and in the future. In June 2007, as these circumstances became alarmingly apparent, the Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a workshop to explore the dynamic relationships among host, pathogen(s), vector(s), and ecosystems that characterize vector-borne diseases. Revisiting this topic in September 2014, the Forum organized a workshop to examine trends and patterns in the incidence and prevalence of vector-borne diseases in an increasingly interconnected and ecologically disturbed world, as well as recent developments to meet these dynamic threats. Participants examined the emergence and global movement of vector-borne diseases, research priorities for understanding their biology and ecology, and global preparedness for and progress toward their prevention, control, and mitigation. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

This work aims to advance the intellectual understanding of the emergence and reemergence of infectious diseases. Practitioners of diverse disciplines - epidemiology, evolutionary biology, environmental sciences, ecology, climatology, social and behavioural sciences, entomology, microbiology, parasitology and virology - report on recently developed techniques from many areas, including molecular biology, genetics, mathematical modelling and remote sensing. These techniques are exploited in an attempt to understand global configurations of infectious disease emergence. Analysis of historical examples reveals patterns not apparent during a single lifetime of observation. This volume emphasises the creative use of cross-disciplinary approaches to extend the limits of knowledge in this important area. These 32 papers were presented at a workshop held by the Harvard School of Public Health at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 7th-10th November.