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Wint GRW, Balenghien T, Berriatua E, Braks M, Marsboom C, Medlock J, Schaffner F, Van Bortel W, Alexander N, Alten B, Czwienczek E, Dhollander S, Ducheyne E, Gossner CM, Hansford K, Hendrickx G, Honrubia H, Matheussen T, Mihalca AD, Petric D, Richardson J, Sprong H, Versteirt V, Briet O. VectorNet: collaborative mapping of arthropod disease vectors in Europe and surrounding areas since 2010. Euro Surveill 2023; 28:2200666. [PMID: 37382886 PMCID: PMC10311950 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2023.28.26.2200666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundArthropod vectors such as ticks, mosquitoes, sandflies and biting midges are of public and veterinary health significance because of the pathogens they can transmit. Understanding their distributions is a key means of assessing risk. VectorNet maps their distribution in the EU and surrounding areas.AimWe aim to describe the methodology underlying VectorNet maps, encourage standardisation and evaluate output.Methods: Vector distribution and surveillance activity data have been collected since 2010 from a combination of literature searches, field-survey data by entomologist volunteers via a network facilitated for each participating country and expert validation. Data were collated by VectorNet members and extensively validated during data entry and mapping processes.ResultsAs of 2021, the VectorNet archive consisted of ca 475,000 records relating to > 330 species. Maps for 42 species are routinely produced online at subnational administrative unit resolution. On VectorNet maps, there are relatively few areas where surveillance has been recorded but there are no distribution data. Comparison with other continental databases, namely the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and VectorBase show that VectorNet has 5-10 times as many records overall, although three species are better represented in the other databases. In addition, VectorNet maps show where species are absent. VectorNet's impact as assessed by citations (ca 60 per year) and web statistics (58,000 views) is substantial and its maps are widely used as reference material by professionals and the public.ConclusionVectorNet maps are the pre-eminent source of rigorously validated arthropod vector maps for Europe and its surrounding areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- G R William Wint
- Environmental Research Group Oxford Ltd, c/o Department of Biology, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Balenghien
- Unité Microbiologie, immunologie et maladies contagieuses, Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Rabat, Morocco
- ASTRE, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France
- CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Eduardo Berriatua
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Marieta Braks
- Centre for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Cedric Marsboom
- Avia-GIS, Agro-Veterinary Information and Analysis, Zoersel, Belgium
| | - Jolyon Medlock
- Medical Entomology & Zoonoses Ecology, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, United Kingdom
| | | | - Wim Van Bortel
- Unit Entomology and the Outbreak Research Team, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Neil Alexander
- Environmental Research Group Oxford Ltd, c/o Department of Biology, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Bulent Alten
- Hacettepe University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Ecology Division, VERG Laboratories, Beytepe, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | | | - Els Ducheyne
- Johnson and Johnson, Beerse, Belgium
- Avia-GIS, Agro-Veterinary Information and Analysis, Zoersel, Belgium
| | - Celine M Gossner
- Disease Programme Unit, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kayleigh Hansford
- Medical Entomology & Zoonoses Ecology, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, United Kingdom
| | - Guy Hendrickx
- Avia-GIS, Agro-Veterinary Information and Analysis, Zoersel, Belgium
| | - Hector Honrubia
- Public Health Functions Unit, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tom Matheussen
- Avia-GIS, Agro-Veterinary Information and Analysis, Zoersel, Belgium
| | - Andrei Daniel Mihalca
- Parasitology Consultancy Group, Corușu, Romania
- Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Dusan Petric
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Serbia
| | | | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Veerle Versteirt
- Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos, Havenlaan 88, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
- Avia-GIS, Agro-Veterinary Information and Analysis, Zoersel, Belgium
| | - Olivier Briet
- Disease Programme Unit, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden
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