The Others: A Systematic Review of the Lesser-Known Arboviruses of the Insular Caribbean

The Caribbean enjoys a long-standing eminence as a popular tourist destination; however, over the years it has also amassed the sobriquet arbovirus hotspot. As the planet warms and vectors expand their habitats, a cognizant working knowledge of the lesser-known arboviruses and the factors that influence their emergence and resurgence becomes essential. The extant literature on Caribbean arboviruses is spread across decades of published literature and is quite often difficult to access, and, in some cases, is obsolete. Here, we look at the lesser-known arboviruses of the insular Caribbean and examine some of the drivers for their emergence and resurgence. We searched the scientific literature databases PubMed and Google Scholar for peer-reviewed literature as well as scholarly reports. We included articles and reports that describe works resulting in serological evidence of the presence of arboviruses and/or arbovirus isolations in the insular Caribbean. Studies without serological evidence and/or arbovirus isolations as well as those including dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever were excluded. Of the 545 articles identified, 122 met the inclusion criteria. A total of 42 arboviruses were identified in the literature. These arboviruses and the drivers that affect their emergence/resurgence are discussed.

Automated summary

The Caribbean is known both for being a popular tourist destination and a hotspot for arboviruses. With the effects of global warming and expanding vectors, it is important to understand lesser-known arboviruses and the factors that influence their emergence and resurgence. Unfortunately, the literature on Caribbean arboviruses is scattered, difficult to access, and often outdated. In this study, we focus on the lesser-known arboviruses of the insular Caribbean, analyzing their presence and identifying the drivers behind their emergence and resurgence.