Disease ecology

In the 14 years after a new road was paved through a previously isolated portion of the Peruvian Amazon, cases of the world’s most rapidly expanding mosquito-borne disease skyrocketed in nearby communities. 

From Ebola to hantavirus, ecological disruptions are creating the conditions for more frequent and dangerous spillover events. Researchers say interdisciplinary collaboration and investment in early surveillance is essential to prevent and respond to these threats.

To analyze for risk of schistosomiasis, a debilitating parasitic disease, Giulio De Leo and collaborators used AI to transform local field work into satellite-powered disease mapping in Senegal.

Climate change has already contributed substantially to the global burden of dengue fever, a new study finds. Over 260 million people live in places where dengue incidence is expected to more than double due to climate change by mid-century. The findings could help with public health planning and developing ways to mitigate such risks.

Erin Mordecai, a senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment, studies mosquitos to understand how climate change is affecting the spread of infectious diseases and uses mathematical modeling to predict future outbreaks.

Stanford research shows that large, efficient scavengers are disappearing globally, allowing carrion to persist longer and creating opportunities for disease-carrying species like rodents to proliferate.

Stanford-led study finds small-scale tree cover in Costa Rica boosts biodiversity while limiting dangerous mosquito species