GBIF is preparing to release a guide on Publishing data on disease vectors, hosts and pathogens through biodiversity data platforms to support the mobilization of open access biodiversity data related to vector-borne diseases (VBDs).
Infectious diseases place significant pressure on public health systems and economies worldwide, with communities in tropical regions particularly vulnerable to the impacts of arthropod-borne VBDs like malaria and dengue fever. The new GBIF guide builds on the work of the biodiversity data linked to human diseases expert task group established in 2020 and the GBIF-commissioned review of how biodiversity data supports research on human infectious disease published by Astorga et al., in 2023.
The guide promotes the publication of vector data according to the FAIR Principles—findability, accessibility, interoperability and reproducibility—to better inform global strategies for epidemic preparedness, response and elimination of VBDs. The guide aims to reduce barriers to publishing and accessing vector data, thereby creating a more comprehensive data view of the global infectious disease landscape.
"Increasing the vector data content accessible through GBIF has been one of the task group’s main objectives," said Paloma Shimabukuro, GBIF vectors data support. "With this guide we hope to support a variety of data holders from academia and the public health sector to share data openly and under the FAIR principles."
The guide has been prepared following collaborations and discussions with the task group on mobilization and use of biodiversity data for research and policy on human disease (2020-25). It has been developed for researchers, students and public health professionals involved in the collection of arthropod vector data. It provides detailed instructions on how to publish data on vectors, hosts and pathogens that cause human and animal diseases through GBIF using both simple and advanced methods.
Community review of this guide is open until 30 June 2025.
Access the Disease Vector Data Publishing Guide
How do I participate in the community peer review?
Community members interested in contributing to the peer-review process of this guide are encouraged to review the overview of the digital documentation programme along with specific instructions and expectations on how to provide suggestions and improvements.
To contribute suggestions as a reviewer, we ask community members to:
• Create a GitHub account (see video how-to).
• Review the guide the document Publishing data on disease vectors, hosts and pathogens through biodiversity data platforms
• Log your suggestions by creating or commenting on issues on GitHub (see video how-to)
• Start, follow and support discussions on the GBIF Community Forum.
Please remember that all interactions within this process must adhere to the GBIF Code of Conduct, which aims to encourage a safe, welcoming and productive environment that is professional, respectful and free from harassment for all participating.
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