Extreme flood and WNV transmission in Thessaly, Greece, 2023
Abstract Storm Daniel, the deadliest Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone, caused significant flooding in Thessaly Region, Greece, from September 4 to 7, 2023. This study examines the potential impact of such extreme weather events on vector-borne disease transmission by assessing changes in mosquito...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-03884-x |
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| author | Spiros Mourelatos Elissavet Charizani Stella Kalaitzopoulou Xanthi Tseni Nikolaos Lazos Katerina Tsioka Anna Papa Stella Dafka Joacim Rocklöv Sandra Gewehr |
| author_facet | Spiros Mourelatos Elissavet Charizani Stella Kalaitzopoulou Xanthi Tseni Nikolaos Lazos Katerina Tsioka Anna Papa Stella Dafka Joacim Rocklöv Sandra Gewehr |
| author_sort | Spiros Mourelatos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Storm Daniel, the deadliest Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone, caused significant flooding in Thessaly Region, Greece, from September 4 to 7, 2023. This study examines the potential impact of such extreme weather events on vector-borne disease transmission by assessing changes in mosquito populations and West Nile virus (WNV) circulation before and after the flood in two regional units of Thessaly. Systematic monitoring data on mosquito larvae and adults, along with WNV circulation in mosquitoes and humans from 2021 to 2023, were analyzed using a weekly interrupted time series regression design controlling for confounding drivers and temporal trends. Results indicate a significant post-flood increase in Culex mosquito populations over the 7 weeks following the event. However, despite this increase—alongside optimal temperature conditions and pre-flood amplification of WNV—no corresponding rise in WNV circulation was observed in mosquitoes or human cases. This unexpected outcome may be influenced by multiple ecological factors, including disruptions of avian host communities, human displacement, and the timing of the flood during the autumn bird migration period. These findings underscore the complexity of vector-virus-host interactions and highlight the importance of continued systematic entomological surveillance for targeted mosquito control practices. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-33e324db53714dd5b689f0be789a1f0d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-33e324db53714dd5b689f0be789a1f0d2025-08-20T03:37:28ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-03884-xExtreme flood and WNV transmission in Thessaly, Greece, 2023Spiros Mourelatos0Elissavet Charizani1Stella Kalaitzopoulou2Xanthi Tseni3Nikolaos Lazos4Katerina Tsioka5Anna Papa6Stella Dafka7Joacim Rocklöv8Sandra Gewehr9Ecodevelopment SAEcodevelopment SAEcodevelopment SAEcodevelopment SAEcodevelopment SADepartment of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of ThessalonikiDepartment of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of ThessalonikiHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg UniversityHeidelberg Institute of Global Health, Heidelberg UniversityEcodevelopment SAAbstract Storm Daniel, the deadliest Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone, caused significant flooding in Thessaly Region, Greece, from September 4 to 7, 2023. This study examines the potential impact of such extreme weather events on vector-borne disease transmission by assessing changes in mosquito populations and West Nile virus (WNV) circulation before and after the flood in two regional units of Thessaly. Systematic monitoring data on mosquito larvae and adults, along with WNV circulation in mosquitoes and humans from 2021 to 2023, were analyzed using a weekly interrupted time series regression design controlling for confounding drivers and temporal trends. Results indicate a significant post-flood increase in Culex mosquito populations over the 7 weeks following the event. However, despite this increase—alongside optimal temperature conditions and pre-flood amplification of WNV—no corresponding rise in WNV circulation was observed in mosquitoes or human cases. This unexpected outcome may be influenced by multiple ecological factors, including disruptions of avian host communities, human displacement, and the timing of the flood during the autumn bird migration period. These findings underscore the complexity of vector-virus-host interactions and highlight the importance of continued systematic entomological surveillance for targeted mosquito control practices.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-03884-xMosquito larvaeAdult mosquitoesExtreme weather eventsFloodingWest Nile virusInterrupted timeseries analysis |
| spellingShingle | Spiros Mourelatos Elissavet Charizani Stella Kalaitzopoulou Xanthi Tseni Nikolaos Lazos Katerina Tsioka Anna Papa Stella Dafka Joacim Rocklöv Sandra Gewehr Extreme flood and WNV transmission in Thessaly, Greece, 2023 Scientific Reports Mosquito larvae Adult mosquitoes Extreme weather events Flooding West Nile virus Interrupted timeseries analysis |
| title | Extreme flood and WNV transmission in Thessaly, Greece, 2023 |
| title_full | Extreme flood and WNV transmission in Thessaly, Greece, 2023 |
| title_fullStr | Extreme flood and WNV transmission in Thessaly, Greece, 2023 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Extreme flood and WNV transmission in Thessaly, Greece, 2023 |
| title_short | Extreme flood and WNV transmission in Thessaly, Greece, 2023 |
| title_sort | extreme flood and wnv transmission in thessaly greece 2023 |
| topic | Mosquito larvae Adult mosquitoes Extreme weather events Flooding West Nile virus Interrupted timeseries analysis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-03884-x |
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