Risk and Control of Mosquito-Borne Diseases in Southeast Asian Rubber Plantations

Unprecedented economic growth in Southeast Asia (SEA) has encouraged the expansion of rubber plantations. This land-use transformation is changing the risk of mosquito-borne diseases. Mature plantations provide ideal habitats for the mosquito vectors of malaria, dengue, and chikungunya. Migrant workers may introduce pathogens into plantation areas, most worryingly artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites. The close proximity of rubber plantations to natural forest also increases the threat from zoonoses, where new vector-borne pathogens spill over from wild animals into humans. There is therefore an urgent need to scale up vector control and access to health care for rubber workers. This requires an intersectoral approach with strong collaboration between the health sector, rubber industry, and local communities.

TrendsRubber plantations in Southeast Asia (SEA) have been expanding at an unprecedented pace. It is estimated that 4.5–6 million people will be working on rubber plantations over the next decade, who are all at high risk of mosquito-borne diseases.Many countries in SEA are focusing on malaria elimination. Rubber plantations may create barriers for elimination since they provide suitable habitats for vectors, a large migrant workforce, and high vector exposure risk.Dengue is the most rapidly expanding disease in the world. Rubber plantations could assist this spread since plantations have high densities of Aedes albopictus, a dengue vector, and are close to the sylvatic cycle.Investing in the health of rubber-plantation workers is financially beneficial to the rubber industry and should be a partnership between the health sector, rubber industry, and local communities.