Vector-Borne Viral Epidemiology in Livestock
Summary
Vector-borne viral diseases in livestock pose a considerable threat to global food security and rural economies. Pathogens such as vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), bluetongue virus and Rift Valley fever virus are transmitted by arthropods including biting midges (Culicoides spp.), black flies (Simulium spp.) and mosquitoes. Transmission cycles involve complex interactions among virus serotypes, vector competence, climatic variables and host density. Seasonal fluctuations in temperature, rainfall and vegetation influence vector abundance and infection rates, leading to periodic epizootics. Enzootic maintenance in reservoir hosts or through non-conventional routes such as venereal or transovarial transmission underpins viral persistence during inter-epidemic periods. Surveillance that integrates molecular diagnostics, genomic sequencing and ecological monitoring enables early detection of incursion events and informs targeted vector control strategies. Advances in phylogenomic methods have elucidated viral evolution during outbreaks, while field studies of vector species composition and competency support risk assessment and the design of intervention measures to mitigate economic losses and safeguard animal welfare.
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Vector-Borne Viral Epidemiology in Livestock publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in vector-borne viral epidemiology in livestock across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Vector competence: ability of an arthropod to acquire, support replication of and transmit a pathogen to a host.
Epizootic: outbreak of disease affecting a significant number of animals in a region over a short period.
Enzootic: continuous, low-level presence of a disease within a specific animal population or geographic area.
Phylogenomic analysis: study of evolutionary relationships and dynamics using whole-genome sequence data.
References
- Phylogenomic Signatures of a Lineage of Vesicular Stomatitis Indiana Virus Circulating During the 2019–2020 Epidemic in the United States. Viruses (2024).
- Community composition of black flies during and after the 2020 vesicular stomatitis virus outbreak in Southern New Mexico, USA. Parasites & Vectors (2024).
- Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Transmission: A Comparison of Incriminated Vectors. Insects (2018).
- Venereal Transmission of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus by Culicoides sonorensis Midges. Pathogens (2020).
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