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Mosquito vector ecologies are destabilizing as a result of climate change

Curcio, E. J.; Xu, K.; Sahakyan, H.; Wolf, Y. I.; Kelvin, E. A.; Rochman, N. D.

2025-09-17 ecology
10.1101/2025.09.15.676177 bioRxiv
Show abstract

Mosquito-borne infectious disease is a major cause of mortality and a significant economic burden worldwide. Shifting regional and seasonal patterns make proactive intervention challenging. Here we introduce a machine learning approach trained on satellite and mosquito observational data, improving generalizability to sparse observations while retaining similar positive performance characteristics of models used in standard practice. We provide global estimates for Aedes habitability at high spatial resolution in five-year increments from 1970-2024. The vast majority of ecologies appear to be destabilizing. Overall, we demonstrate a decrease in risk near the equator and an increase in risk in historically temperate climates including the United States, the European Union, and China. Despite this decrease in risk relative to historical averages, regions near the equator remain among the highest risk worldwide. Together, these results reflect an overall, marked expanse of the regions of the globe that support Aedes mosquitos and we observe an ongoing, linear increase in the global population at risk of contracting mosquito-borne disease.

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