Exploring the Impacts of Global Change on the Risk of Aedes and Dengue Expansion in Tanzania

ongoing

Dengue, a vector-borne disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, has emerged as a significant global health challenge, particularly in regions like East Africa, where its impact is increasingly felt. Tanzania, with recurrent outbreaks and an expanding range of mosquito vectors, offers a critical case study for understanding dengue's broader epidemiological trends in these regions. The spread of Aedes aegypti, driven by global changes such as rising temperatures, urbanisation, and increased transportation networks, has intensified the threat of dengue in Tanzania. Despite this, substantial knowledge gaps remain, particularly in predicting future hotspots for transmission and understanding the extent of the population at risk, now and in the future. The TRACED project aims to address these gaps by integrating innovative methodologies to assess ecological niches, human population dynamics, and dengue transmission risk. The project's outcomes are expected to support global efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3, which focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, by raising awareness among policymakers, which is crucial for effective intervention strategies. Given the limited research and funding in this area, particularly in Africa, this project will provide critical insights and methodological frameworks that can be applied across resource-limited regions, contributing to better preparedness and response to future dengue outbreaks. Researchers from Technological University Dublin and the Institute of Tropical Medicine are collaborating with Tanzania's Ministry of Health's Neglected Tropical Disease programme and local experts from the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), and the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI).