Decision support

Short-term effect of temperature and precipitation on the incidence of West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease in Europe: a multi-country case-crossover analysis

Moirano, Giovenale et al. – The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, Volume 48, 101149

In recent years, Europe has experienced several outbreaks of West Nile Virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne pathogen. This study aims to quantify the impact of weekly mean temperature and cumulative precipitation on human cases of West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease (WNND), to assess the feasibility of climate-informed early warning systems for severe forms of WNV infection.

DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.101149

A climatic suitability indicator to support Leishmania infantum surveillance in Europe: a modelling study

A climatic suitability indicator to support Leishmania infantum surveillance in Europe: a modelling study Carvalho, Bruno M. et al. – The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, Volume 43, 100971

Leishmaniases are neglected diseases transmitted by sand flies. They disproportionately affect vulnerable groups globally. Understanding the relationship between climate and disease transmission allows the development of relevant decision-support tools for public health policy and surveillance. The aim of this modelling study was to develop an indicator that tracks climatic suitability for Leishmania infantum transmission in Europe at the subnational level.

DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.100971

Field evaluation of an automated mosquito surveillance system which classifies Aedes and Culex mosquitoes by genus and sex

Field evaluation of an automated mosquito surveillance system which classifies Aedes and Culex mosquitoes by genus and sex
González-Pérez MI et al. – Parasit Vectors. 2024 Mar 1;17(1):97

Mosquito-borne diseases are a major concern for public and veterinary health authorities, highlighting the importance of effective vector surveillance and control programs. Traditional surveillance methods are labor-intensive and do not provide high temporal resolution, which may hinder a full assessment of the risk of mosquito-borne pathogen transmission. Emerging technologies for automated remote mosquito monitoring have the potential to address these limitations; however, few studies have tested the performance of such systems in the field.

DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06177

The effect of temporal data aggregation to assess the impact of changing temperatures in Europe: an epidemiological modelling study

Joan Ballester et al. – Lancet Regional Health Europe
This paper highlights the use of weekly and monthly data as a viable alternative to daily health records in estimating temperature-related mortality, particularly when access to daily data is restricted. The findings show that while weekly models slightly underestimate cold and heat-related deaths, especially during extreme events, they still provide reliable estimates and can be useful for research and policy-making.

DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2023.100779

Chapter 12 Early warning systems for vector-borne diseases: engagement, methods and implementation

Emilie Finch et al. – Planetary health approaches to understand and control vector-borne diseases | Chapter 12

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) cause over 700,000 deaths yearly, worsened by climate change and urbanization. Climate-informed early warning systems (EWS) use climate data to predict outbreaks, enabling faster public health responses. Despite their success in disaster risk reduction, EWS are underused in health, with few operational tools available.

DOI: 10.3920/9789004688650_014

Towards a leptospirosis early warning system in northeastern Argentina

Lotto Batista M et al. – J. Roy. Soc. Interface

This study demonstrates that hydrometeorological indicators, including El Niño, precipitation, and river height, are strong predictors of leptospirosis outbreaks in northeastern Argentina. By using a Bayesian modelling framework, the researchers found that climate-driven models accurately detected 89% of outbreaks, suggesting that such tools could effectively contribute to an early warning system for leptospirosis in the region.

DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0069

Challenges in tracking climate, health, and justice over time and large geographical areas

The Lancet Regional Health – Europe
This article discusses the complexities of tracking the links between climate, health, and justice across regions and time. It calls for better, standardized data systems to address disparities and guide equitable policy interventions globally.

DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(23)00051-8

The role of global reanalyses in climate services for health: Insights from the Lancet Countdown

Claudia Di Napoli et al. – Meteorological Applications

This article highlights the need for climate-smart decisions in public health due to extreme weather events. The Lancet Countdown system uses reanalysis datasets like ERA5 to track global climate-related health impacts, such as heatwaves and disease transmission, and provides indicators to measure these effects. Public health professionals should collaborate to refine these datasets for better health outcomes.

DOI: 10.1002/met.2122