Mosquito and global dengue cases in a warming world

Dengue presents a significant global health challenge, affecting 50–100 symptomatic infections every year and placing immense strain on healthcare systems in tropical and subtropical regions. However, future projections of dengue infections in a warming world remain unclear. We used the support vect...

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Main Authors: Joseph J Y Sung, Tsin Wen Yeo, Jie Hu, Benjamin P Horton, Yim Hung Lam Steve
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-05-01
Series:BMJ Global Health
Online Access:https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/5/e014688.full
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author Joseph J Y Sung
Tsin Wen Yeo
Jie Hu
Benjamin P Horton
Yim Hung Lam Steve
author_facet Joseph J Y Sung
Tsin Wen Yeo
Jie Hu
Benjamin P Horton
Yim Hung Lam Steve
author_sort Joseph J Y Sung
collection DOAJ
description Dengue presents a significant global health challenge, affecting 50–100 symptomatic infections every year and placing immense strain on healthcare systems in tropical and subtropical regions. However, future projections of dengue infections in a warming world remain unclear. We used the support vector machine (SVM) and artificial neural network (ANN) models with Aedes mosquitoes and dengue records from 1960 to 2019 to comprehensively assess the effects of climate change and socioeconomic conditions on the distribution of mosquitoes and the global dengue incidence rate. The SVM and ANN models were applied to project the global future incidence rate and infections during 2021–2040, 2041–2060 and 2061–2080 under various climate change and socioeconomic conditions in a 5 km spatial resolution. We found a geographical distribution expansion of Aedes mosquitoes and dengue in future years, especially in higher latitudes such as North America and Europe. It was estimated that 77 (confidence interval: 40 to 198) million yearly global infections will occur during 2041–2060 under the Shared Socio-economic Pathway SSP2-4.5, a 57% increase of 49 (26−127) million compared with 2000–2019. The rise in annual infections is primarily attributed to the growing incidence rates driven by rising temperatures and the enhanced suitability of Aedes aegypti, and an expanding human population. Our high-resolution projection provides support to local control measures to minimise health impacts from dengue. Specifically, the Aedes mosquito control programmes such as eliminating the Ae. aegypti breeding sites are recommended in Africa and South Asia, where dengue is particularly severe in all climate change and socioeconomic conditions.
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spelling doaj-art-e3078ac855f442049b90c6eb47e621d52025-08-20T03:53:17ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Global Health2059-79082025-05-0110510.1136/bmjgh-2023-014688Mosquito and global dengue cases in a warming worldJoseph J Y Sung0Tsin Wen Yeo1Jie Hu2Benjamin P Horton3Yim Hung Lam Steve4Lee Kong Chian School of Medicin, Nanyang Technological University, SingaporeLee Kong Chian School of Medicin, Nanyang Technological University, SingaporeCentre for Climate Change and Environmental Health, Nanyang Technological University, SingaporeAsian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, SingaporeCentre for Climate Change and Environmental Health, Nanyang Technological University, SingaporeDengue presents a significant global health challenge, affecting 50–100 symptomatic infections every year and placing immense strain on healthcare systems in tropical and subtropical regions. However, future projections of dengue infections in a warming world remain unclear. We used the support vector machine (SVM) and artificial neural network (ANN) models with Aedes mosquitoes and dengue records from 1960 to 2019 to comprehensively assess the effects of climate change and socioeconomic conditions on the distribution of mosquitoes and the global dengue incidence rate. The SVM and ANN models were applied to project the global future incidence rate and infections during 2021–2040, 2041–2060 and 2061–2080 under various climate change and socioeconomic conditions in a 5 km spatial resolution. We found a geographical distribution expansion of Aedes mosquitoes and dengue in future years, especially in higher latitudes such as North America and Europe. It was estimated that 77 (confidence interval: 40 to 198) million yearly global infections will occur during 2041–2060 under the Shared Socio-economic Pathway SSP2-4.5, a 57% increase of 49 (26−127) million compared with 2000–2019. The rise in annual infections is primarily attributed to the growing incidence rates driven by rising temperatures and the enhanced suitability of Aedes aegypti, and an expanding human population. Our high-resolution projection provides support to local control measures to minimise health impacts from dengue. Specifically, the Aedes mosquito control programmes such as eliminating the Ae. aegypti breeding sites are recommended in Africa and South Asia, where dengue is particularly severe in all climate change and socioeconomic conditions.https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/5/e014688.full
spellingShingle Joseph J Y Sung
Tsin Wen Yeo
Jie Hu
Benjamin P Horton
Yim Hung Lam Steve
Mosquito and global dengue cases in a warming world
BMJ Global Health
title Mosquito and global dengue cases in a warming world
title_full Mosquito and global dengue cases in a warming world
title_fullStr Mosquito and global dengue cases in a warming world
title_full_unstemmed Mosquito and global dengue cases in a warming world
title_short Mosquito and global dengue cases in a warming world
title_sort mosquito and global dengue cases in a warming world
url https://gh.bmj.com/content/10/5/e014688.full
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AT tsinwenyeo mosquitoandglobaldenguecasesinawarmingworld
AT jiehu mosquitoandglobaldenguecasesinawarmingworld
AT benjaminphorton mosquitoandglobaldenguecasesinawarmingworld
AT yimhunglamsteve mosquitoandglobaldenguecasesinawarmingworld