Green cities and the risk for vector-borne disease transmission for humans and animals: a scoping review

Abstract

Greening cities is a nature-based strategy for sustainable urban development that integrates natural elements</p><p>like plants or water bodies, to mitigate climate change impacts and enhance human well-being. However, urban</p><p>green infrastructures (UGIs) can influence the distribution of disease vectors, potentially affecting vectorborne</p><p>diseases (VBDs). UGIs may provide new suitable environments for urban vectors, while also creating</p><p>opportunities to mitigate VBD risks through predation, competition, and dilution effects. This article examined</p><p>the relationships between UGIs, vectors, and associated pathogens, impacting both human and animal health,</p><p>highlighting knowledge gaps and identifying research priorities to support VBD risk mitigation measures and</p><p>to guide smart urban planning and design. A systematic literature search was conducted following PRISMA</p><p>guidelines in three databases (Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science). Selected articles involved (i) any aspect of</p><p>a urban vector system, (ii) in UGIs, and (iii) statistical analysis of the effects of UGIs on VBD risk. Methods</p><p>employed to characterize UGIs and VBDs were described and the identified impacts were summarized by vector</p><p>group. Among the 98 articles reviewed, most addressed mosquito-pathogen systems (66), tick-pathogen</p><p>systems (29), and few other vector-borne pathogen systems (3), with studies often confined to a single city or</p><p>several cities within the same country and focused on one vector group. Urban vegetation generally appeared</p><p>to heighten the risk of tick-borne diseases. In contrast, the influence of UGIs on the risk of mosquito-borne diseases</p><p>varied depending on the vector system and on the environmental and climatic context. The diversity of</p><p>indicators used to assess UGIs and VBD risks may affect the observed impact on VBD risk. Given the increasing</p><p>popularity of urban greening, it is crucial to investigate its potential implications for public health, and thereby</p><p>urban planning decisions. However, the lack of standardized protocols complicates the accurate assessment of</p><p>the effects of UGIs on the risk for VBD emergence and transmission and consequently, on potential mitigation.