Remotely identifying potential vector habitat in areas of refugee and displaced person populations due to the Syrian civil war

Historically leishmaniasis is most prevalent in established urban centres but this research shows that refugees and, most significantly, internally displaced persons are now commonly in areas characterized by the presence of fly habitats potentially leading to higher prominence of Leishmania infecti...

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Main Authors: Samuel N. Chambers, Joseph A. Tabor
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: PAGEPress Publications 2018-11-01
Series:Geospatial Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.geospatialhealth.net/index.php/gh/article/view/670
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author Samuel N. Chambers
Joseph A. Tabor
author_facet Samuel N. Chambers
Joseph A. Tabor
author_sort Samuel N. Chambers
collection DOAJ
description Historically leishmaniasis is most prevalent in established urban centres but this research shows that refugees and, most significantly, internally displaced persons are now commonly in areas characterized by the presence of fly habitats potentially leading to higher prominence of Leishmania infection. Areas engulfed by the Syrian civil war has thus caused the dispersal of humans into previously unpopulated areas amid habitats of the sand fly Phlebotomus papatasi that hosts the parasite Leishmania. The addition of new places of exposure to this disease add to difficulties with respect to diagnosis as well as provision of care and treatment. We used geospatial methodology adapting it to remotely identifying and analyzing sand fly habitats with the aim of measuring how common it is. Our methodology helps avoid the issue of resolution in satellite imagery by measuring likelihood rather than strictly known locations. We followed up this information with spatial analysis identifying which civilian populations are most prone to sand fly exposure, and therefore leishmaniasis, due to their geographical situation. Our results suggest that those most likely to be exposed to Leishmania are internally displaced persons, those camps less likely to receive medical relief and typically having temporary residents migrating elsewhere.
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spelling doaj.art-787a9f181cc0480e94ec1f1fb9e351792022-12-21T23:21:21ZengPAGEPress PublicationsGeospatial Health1827-19871970-70962018-11-0113210.4081/gh.2018.670Remotely identifying potential vector habitat in areas of refugee and displaced person populations due to the Syrian civil warSamuel N. Chambers0Joseph A. Tabor1School of Geography & Development, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZSchool of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZHistorically leishmaniasis is most prevalent in established urban centres but this research shows that refugees and, most significantly, internally displaced persons are now commonly in areas characterized by the presence of fly habitats potentially leading to higher prominence of Leishmania infection. Areas engulfed by the Syrian civil war has thus caused the dispersal of humans into previously unpopulated areas amid habitats of the sand fly Phlebotomus papatasi that hosts the parasite Leishmania. The addition of new places of exposure to this disease add to difficulties with respect to diagnosis as well as provision of care and treatment. We used geospatial methodology adapting it to remotely identifying and analyzing sand fly habitats with the aim of measuring how common it is. Our methodology helps avoid the issue of resolution in satellite imagery by measuring likelihood rather than strictly known locations. We followed up this information with spatial analysis identifying which civilian populations are most prone to sand fly exposure, and therefore leishmaniasis, due to their geographical situation. Our results suggest that those most likely to be exposed to Leishmania are internally displaced persons, those camps less likely to receive medical relief and typically having temporary residents migrating elsewhere.https://www.geospatialhealth.net/index.php/gh/article/view/670Remote SensingSpatial AnalysisEpidemiologyRefugee CrisisLeishmaniasisMiddle East
spellingShingle Samuel N. Chambers
Joseph A. Tabor
Remotely identifying potential vector habitat in areas of refugee and displaced person populations due to the Syrian civil war
Geospatial Health
Remote Sensing
Spatial Analysis
Epidemiology
Refugee Crisis
Leishmaniasis
Middle East
title Remotely identifying potential vector habitat in areas of refugee and displaced person populations due to the Syrian civil war
title_full Remotely identifying potential vector habitat in areas of refugee and displaced person populations due to the Syrian civil war
title_fullStr Remotely identifying potential vector habitat in areas of refugee and displaced person populations due to the Syrian civil war
title_full_unstemmed Remotely identifying potential vector habitat in areas of refugee and displaced person populations due to the Syrian civil war
title_short Remotely identifying potential vector habitat in areas of refugee and displaced person populations due to the Syrian civil war
title_sort remotely identifying potential vector habitat in areas of refugee and displaced person populations due to the syrian civil war
topic Remote Sensing
Spatial Analysis
Epidemiology
Refugee Crisis
Leishmaniasis
Middle East
url https://www.geospatialhealth.net/index.php/gh/article/view/670
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