Mosquito-borne diseases are expanding globally, fueled by rising temperatures, shifting rainfall, and increased travel. Chikungunya, carried by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, has resurged since 2004, with more than a million cases worldwide. While rarely fatal, it causes fever and severe joint pain that can linger for months, burdening patients and healthcare systems. In urban centers, outdated drainage and poor sanitation create chronic breeding sites, while international trade accelerates viral entry. Based on these challenges, or due to these problems, in-depth research is urgently needed to understand how environmental conditions drive transmission and to develop integrated strategies that prevent epidemics before they escalate.
Published (DOI: 10.1016/j.eehl.2025.100179) online September 8, 2025, in Eco-Environment & Health, researchers from the Guangdong University of Technology investigated the chikungunya outbreak in Foshan, Guangdong Province. They found that imported viral strains collided with extreme heat, record-breaking rainfall, and fragile infrastructure to fuel mosquito proliferation. The epidemic, with more than 4,000 reported cases, underscores how environmental pressures amplify disease risks. Their findings suggest that preventing recurrence requires moving beyond medical treatment toward integrated surveillance, climate resilience, and urban reforms that address the root causes.
The Foshan outbreak was driven by multiple factors. Climate records showed 13 days above 36 °C in July 2025, alongside El Niño rainfall of more than 280 mm—ideal conditions for mosquito breeding. In older neighborhoods, aging drainage and unmanaged waste sustained these habitats. Construction sites added temporary pools that became mosquito hotspots. Imported viral strains from Southeast Asia entered through trade networks, meeting an environment primed for transmission.
Communities such as Lecong and Beijiao, with high Breteau Index values, emerged as epicenters. To counter outbreaks, the researchers propose rapid measures: drones to map breeding sites, wastewater monitoring to detect viral RNA, and integrated data systems linking weather, mosquito, and clinical information. These can generate real-time risk maps and guide targeted larval control and community cleanups. Yet the study warns that such tools only delay future crises. Long-term resilience requires systemic reforms: climate-resilient drainage, stricter sanitation rules, and urban planning that integrates environmental health. Without these, the cycle of outbreaks will likely repeat.
"Foshan's crisis shows how climate and urbanization intersect with epidemic risk," said lead author Taicheng An. "This is not just a viral outbreak but an environmental warning. Rising temperatures, extreme rainfall, and neglected infrastructure have created ideal breeding conditions. Rapid surveillance tools like UAV mapping and wastewater testing can stop transmission in real time, but the real solution lies in long-term reforms. Only through integrated One Health strategies can communities reduce vulnerability and prevent mosquito-borne epidemics from returning."
The study makes clear that tackling mosquito-borne disease requires environmental as well as medical action. Governments should integrate health into city planning, enforcing waste and water regulations, strengthening drainage systems, and mandating environmental assessments for new projects. Early-warning methods like drones and wastewater testing could give authorities precious lead time to intervene before outbreaks spiral. Foshan's experience offers a global lesson: in fast-urbanizing regions facing climate extremes, sustainable public health depends on embedding environmental management within policy. Planetary health and human health are inseparably linked, and only by treating them as one can future epidemics be averted.
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References
DOI
10.1016/j.eehl.2025.100179
Original Source URL
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eehl.2025.100179
Funding information
This project was supported by Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (2025B1515020047), Applied Basic Research in Guangzhou (2024A04J0631), Introduction Innovative and Research Teams Project of Guangdong Pearl River Talents Program (2023ZT10L102).
About Eco-Environment & Health
Eco-Environment & Health (EEH) is an international and multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal designed for publications on the frontiers of the ecology, environment and health as well as their related disciplines. EEH focuses on the concept of "One Health" to promote green and sustainable development, dealing with the interactions among ecology, environment and health, and the underlying mechanisms and interventions. Our mission is to be one of the most important flagship journals in the field of environmental health.