PASTEUR2030
Vector-borne diseases: a globalized health challenge
Vector-borne diseases are infectious diseases generally transmitted by insects and hematophagous (blood-sucking) parasites. Their prevalence and spread are rising at an alarming rate, and they currently represent a major threat to human health. This increase is a consequence of significant changes at planetary level including climate change, international travel and global trade. And France does not escape this reality.
The Institut Pasteur is leading several initiatives and projects involving research, surveillance and innovative methods to improve understanding and respond more effectively to these emerging threats. A scientific symposium entitled "Grand challenges in vector-borne diseases" is also being held this afternoon, bringing together several experts alongside the leaders of Scientific Priority 2, "Environmental transition & health."
In this latest edition of the newsletter, the team has compiled several news items that shine a light on what is a major health challenge of our age, the fight against vector-borne diseases.
- Three questions about ticks: How many species are there? What pathogens do they spread? What is the health risk?
The microbes carried by ticks can cause a whole range of diseases besides the notorious Lyme disease. How many species are there, what do they spread, and what are the current and future health risks? We give you the lowdown with three key questions.
- "Grand challenges in vector-borne diseases" symposium
In connection with the implementation of the Pasteur 2030 Strategic Plan, the leaders of Scientific Priority 2, "Environmental transitions & health," are pleased to invite you today to the symposium "Grand challenges in vector-borne diseases," which will be held in the Émile Duclaux lecture hall.
This international event, introduced by Yasmine Belkaid, the Institut Pasteur’s President, brings together several experts in both field and laboratory research to consider practical and strategic approaches in tackling vector-borne diseases at a time of climate and environmental change.
The symposium addresses two broad topics: "Promoting field-based research" and "The post-insecticide era?". It's also an opportunity to present the future research center on vector-borne diseases (CMTV), a project that combines scientific progress and state-of-the-art architecture.
- The Pasteur Institute Newsletter: Serial Vaccinators, the Invisible Risk
As reported in the BIP on May 11, the latest issue of the Pasteur Institute Newsletter (LIP), a quarterly newsletter for Pasteur Institute donors, features a special section on “serial blood donors.”
Read or re-read the latest issue of the LIP
• Mosquitoes and ticks – the ultimate biological weapons
Dengue, chikungunya, Zika, Lyme disease, malaria and leishmaniasis are all what are known as vector-borne diseases, with a specific mode of transmission that sets them apart from infections like influenza or COVID-19. They require a living vector – a mosquito, sandfly or tick –, which hosts pathogens (viruses, bacteria and parasites), allows them to develop, then transfers them to humans via a bite. These vectors serve as mobile incubators, making the diseases they host particularly resistant to conventional health measures. The impact is huge – vector-borne diseases account for more than 17% of all infectious diseases and claim more than 700,000 lives worldwide every year.