Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases Continues Its Growth

I t is hard to believe that we are celebrating the Journal's 10^th anniversary. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases (VBZD) was started in 2001 to fill a unique niche related to infectious diseases that was not the focus of any other journal. Almost 60% of the approximately 1,400 recognized species of pathogens infectious for humans are zoonotic, and at least 65% of recently recorded major disease outbreaks were of zoonotic origin (IOM & NRC of the National Academies' report Sustaining Global Surveillance and Response to Emerging Zoonotic Diseases – which I highly recommend). These emerging and reemerging diseases respect no boundaries; spatial, temporal, geographic, or political. They epitomize what can be regarded as a truly global health problem. With dengue virus transmitted in Florida, USA, and chikungunya virus transmitted in the Riviera region of France and in Guangdong Province, China during 2010, now more than ever before, it is essential to provide researchers, physicians, clinicians, policy makers, and citizens with newly arising information, and a platform from which they can communicate data and expert opinion. The Journal's breadth of interest includes: epidemiology, ecology, entomology, microbiology, virology, immunology, taxonomy, and wildlife biology. It encompasses all aspects of pathogens transmitted to vertebrates by invertebrate vectors, and to humans by other animals. VBZD also publishes data on nonpathogenic organisms which are genetically closely related to pathogens; for example, the flaviviruses that appear only to infect mosquitoes. Such viruses may provide insights into pathogen evolution, species specificity, etc.

VBZD is the official journal of the Society for Zoonotic Ecology and Epidemiology, and in recent years has provided an opportunity for other groups to publish symposia proceedings, and conference abstracts. Special issues released recently with guest editorials include: The United States Department of Agriculture's Northeast Tick Control Project; The Ecology of Plague and Its Effect on Wildlife; Hantaviruses and Arenaviruses; and the European Union's supported International Network for Capacity Building for the Control of Emerging Viral Vector Borne Zoonotic Diseases: ArboZoonet Symposium.

In addition to providing Open Access options, arrangements can be made to provide permanent free access to articles or whole issues. Examples of this are the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene's Committee for Medical Entomology's Arthropod Containment Guidelines and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health's Guidance for Contained Field Trials of Vector Mosquitoes Engineered to Contain a Gene Drive System, which was funded through the Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative.

OPEN IN VIEWER

Stephen Higgs, B.Sc., Ph.D., FRES

Subscribers have rapid online access to original research, reviews, short reports, case studies, editorials, and commentaries soon after peer-review acceptance, and subsequently as printed hard copy. The Journal is indexed in; Medline; Current Contents^®/Clinical Medicine; Science Citation Index Expanded; Biological Abstracts; BIOSIS Previews; Zoological Record; EMBASE/Excerpta Medica; EMBiology; Scopus; CAB Abstracts; SIIC Databases; and Wildlife Review Abstracts. With subscribers in over 140 countries, authors know that their articles will receive the international attention they deserve.

The Journal has increased its impact factor to 2.607 (a 19% increase since 2008!), and in response to the recognition and increasing demand, has progressed from a quarterly journal in 2001, to a monthly publication in 2011. This success can be attributed to many factors. Foremost is the high-quality contributions submitted by authors from around the globe, and also the tireless work by expert reviewers who dedicate much time, effort, and knowledge into providing fair and constructive critiques. The diverse interests, expertise, and passion of authors and reviewers have enabled VBZD to expand its scope and appeal, and have allowed us to recruit additional internationally recognized editorial board members. To the authors, reviewers, readers, and editorial board members, my sincere gratitude for all that they have done, and for all that I know they will continue to do. My thanks also goes to the dedicated staff at Mary Ann Liebert, Inc, who respond to my editorial needs—often communicated by emails from strange places in different time zones—so quickly and efficiently. It is a tribute to you all that VBZD will continue to grow and improve. You can be assured of my commitment to the Journal and to consideration of your suggestions for further improvement.

Finally, and sadly, we remember some significant and much-respected scientists who have passed away during the past year. It is a small world, and having worked in the UK on various nairoviruses, including Dugbe, I was delighted to meet, and have many “home brews” with, the Canadian arbovirologist, Graham Kemp, who discovered this virus. Graham died on October 25^th and an obituary can be found in ProMED Digest Volume 2010, Number 523. Ed Westaway died on October 28^th. A personal recollection of his outstanding scientific career, will hopefully be published on the Australian Virology Society website. Also, Ian Holmes www.burnet.edu.au/home/general/newsroom/ianholmes) and Frank Fenner (http://news.anu.edu.au/?p=5911) passed away this year on August 2^nd and November 22^nd, respectively. A tribute to James Porterfield, who died on November 23^rd, is published in this issue of VBZD. Lastly, on December 6^th, Dr. Rene Le Berre passed away. Rene was instrumental in starting the international fight against onchocerciasis (river blindness). His obituary can be found at www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/science-obituaries/8212877/Rene-Le-Berre.html. We send our sympathies to all of their families, as well as our grateful thanks for all that they have contributed to our understanding of zoonotic and vector-borne diseases.