Climate Change and Vector-Borne Diseases in Europe: Implications for Public Health and Environmental Sanitation Strategies

Climate change is significantly altering the distribution, seasonality, and transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases, posing an increasing public health concern, particularly in regions previously considered at low risk. Key climatic variables, including temperature, precipitation, and humidity, strongly influence vector survival, reproduction, and pathogen transmission capacity. This review provides an overview of current evidence on the relationship between climate change, vector ecology, and vector-borne disease epidemiology in Europe, based on evidence extracted from peer-reviewed literature published between 2010 and 2024 and retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Particular attention is given to vector-borne diseases with current or potential relevance to Europe. This includes infections that are already endemic, such as leishmaniasis and tick-borne encephalitis, as well as diseases currently imported, such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Zika, yellow fever, and Chagas disease, that may pose a future risk of local transmission due to climate-driven changes in vector distribution and abundance. The analysis highlights potential health and economic impacts, and discusses implications for public health preparedness, environmental sanitation, surveillance, and vector control strategies. Strengthening adaptive and mitigation policies, alongside targeted research efforts, is essential to enhance resilience of health systems against climate-driven epidemic risks.