Definitions on Climate change & insect-borne disease starting with V

Monday, 28 May 2012

Definitions

Below is a directory of terms used in the debate about climate change and insect-borne disease. Most of the terms have been reproduced from the WHO, US Environment Protection Agency, the UN University Institute of Advanced Studies, the Center for International Forestry Research, and the Meridian Institute.

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V

Vector

An organism (e.g., Anopheles mosquitoes) that transmits an infectious agent (e.g. malaria parasites) from one host to the other (e.g., humans).

Vector-borne disease

Diseases that are transmitted by the bite of vectors such as mosquitoes or ticks. The more common vector-borne diseases include dengue fever, malaria, Lyme disease, West Nile virus, Rift Valley fever, chikungunya and yellow fever.

Vector competence

The ability of a vector (e.g., Anopheles mosquitoes) to transmit a disease (e.g. malaria).

Vulnerability

The degree to which a system is susceptible to, and unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes. Vulnerability is a function of the character, magnitude, and rate of climate change and variation to which a system is exposed, its sensitivity and its adaptive capacity.

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