CK25-182 - Puerto Rico Enhanced Surveillance and Control of Endemic and Emerging Arboviruses

Ponce School Of Medicine, Ponce PR

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT Dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and Oropouche viruses pose a growing threat to public health, with Puerto Rico (PR) serving as a critical transmission hotspot in the Americas. These arboviruses cause frequent outbreaks, straining public health systems due to overlapping clinical presentations that complicate diagnosis and response efforts. Dengue alone remains endemic in over 100 countries, while emerging threats like chikungunya, Zika, and Oropouche disproportionately affect immunologically naïve populations, exacerbating disease burden. The urgent need for improved surveillance and response strategies aligns with U.S. government priorities on vector- borne disease control and health security. The Puerto Rico Enhanced Surveillance and Control of Endemic and Emerging Arbovirueses (PRESCA) aims to enhance the detection, characterization, and response to arboviral pathogens by integrating clinical, community-based, and laboratory surveillance data. PRESCA’s central hypothesis is that a strengthened surveillance infrastructure will improve early detection and outbreak response, mitigating the public health impact of arboviruses in PR. To achieve this, PRESCA proposes to (1) strengthen surveillance and research capacity for acute febrile illnesses (AFIs) to improve the detection and response to emerging and re-emerging arboviruses and (2) enhance data management, analytics, and collaborative networks to sustain AFI surveillance and research. This initiative leverages existing platforms such as SEDSS and COPA and fosters collaboration with the CDC Dengue Branch, Puerto Rico Vector Control Unit (PRVCU), and local public health entities. PRESCA aligns with federal priorities by integrating AFI surveillance, community- based research, and predictive modeling to improve vector control and outbreak response. The expected outcomes will establish PR as a regional model for arboviral surveillance, strengthening public health preparedness across the Americas. Timely case identification will improve response efforts, reduce disease spread, and minimize economic and healthcare burdens. Enhanced vector control strategies, targeted public health messaging, and advanced data analytics will enable efficient allocation of resources, reducing transmission risk and improving epidemiological forecasting. Strengthened human resource capacity will ensure long-term sustainability of surveillance systems. By addressing critical gaps in arboviral outbreak management, PRESCA will advance proactive, data-driven interventions that protect vulnerable populations and inform future public health strategies.