Prioritizing Water Security in the Management of Vector-Borne Diseases: Lessons From Oaxaca, Mexico

Changes in human water use, along with temperature and rainfall patterns, are facilitating habitat spread and distribution of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the primary vectors for the transmission of Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika viruses in the Americas. Artificial containers and wet spots provide major sources of mosquito larval habitat in residential areas. Mosquito abatement and control strategies remain the most effective public health interventions for minimizing the impact of these vector-borne diseases. Understanding how water insecurity is conducive to the establishment and elimination of endemic mosquito populations, particularly in arid or semiarid regions, is a vital component in shaping these intervention strategies. Plain Language Summary: As urban growth and climate change facilitates the spread of Aedes mosquitos, risking substantial increases in Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya in the Americas, managing disease burden will rely on effective interventions to reduce water insecurity. We use the case of Oaxaca, Mexico, to illustrate the relationship between water insecurity, the establishment of mosquito habitat, and heightened disease risk from vector-borne diseases.