The World Health Organization (WHO) recently published updated clinical guidance for treating four arboviral diseases: chikungunya, dengue, Zika, and yellow fever.
As of July 4, 2025, this WHO resource is the first that covers all four diseases.
Arbovirus infections have become a growing public health threat, affecting 5.6 billion people.
These diseases are expanding into new regions, where virus-carrying mosquitoes are seldom found, increasing the likelihood of outbreaks beyond tropical and subtropical areas.
The WHO stated that an integrated approach is vital, as these four diseases often present with similar symptoms, especially in the early stages of infection, and multiple arboviruses may circulate simultaneously in certain regions. This makes clinical differentiation particularly challenging, especially when diagnostic testing is not readily available.
These diseases often affect international travelers who lack natural immunity and have not received appropriate immunization with travel vaccines.
Global risk maps are a crucial tool for evaluating the worldwide threat posed by mosquito- and tick-transmitted arboviral diseases.