Deforestation in the Amazon of Pará and arbovirus emergence: contributions to pedagogical practices in health and environment

Abstract

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, especially in the state of Pará, has been associated with the emergence of arboviruses such as Mayaro and Oropouche. This systematic review aimed to synthesize scientific evidence on the association between deforestation and arbovirus emergence in Pará, identifying patterns, effect magnitudes, and methodological gaps, as well as extracting implications for science teaching. The PRISMA 2020 protocol was followed, with registration in PROSPERO. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, SciELO, and Google Scholar (2005-2025). Observational, cohort, case-control, cross-sectional, and ecological studies that objectively measured deforestation and included laboratory-confirmed arbovirus detection were included. From 1,247 initial records, 23 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. Of these, 19 (82.6%) reported positive and significant associations between deforestation and arbovirus detection. Meta-analysis (eight studies) revealed a combined odds ratio of 2.34 (95%CI:1.78-3.08). Forest edge distance and time since deforestation (especially <5 years) showed the strongest associations (OR:2.34-3.12). Mayaro and Oropouche were the arboviruses most consistently associated. We conclude that there is a positive and significant association between deforestation and the emergence of sylvatic or transitional arboviruses in Pará. The findings can support interdisciplinary pedagogical practices in health and environment, as well as teacher training in the Amazon.