Epidemiology of emerging and resurging vector-borne diseases with special attention to climate change in Germany (review)
Schwaiger, K.; Bauer, J.
Berliner und Munchener Tierarztliche Wochenschrift 122(5-6): 141-160
2009
ISSN/ISBN: 0005-9366 PMID: 19517928 Document Number: 635127
Vector-borne diseases gained importance in Germany during the past years. Borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis are already well-known infectious diseases, transmitted by Ixodes ricinus. But reports on severe diseases, formerly only known as so-called "travel sickness" from tropical countries, markedly increased in the recent years. Several climate models predict a global warming of 1.4 degrees C up to 5.8 degrees C until the year 2100, and as climate-typical temperature barriers restrict the distribution of the vectors, especially arthropod-borne diseases are strongly influenced by the climate. Due to the growing clinical importance, the present state of information concerning the epidemiological situation of all known vector-borne diseases in Germany is summarized in this review.