Global climate change and the emergence/re-emergence of infectious diseases

Int J Med Microbiol. 2004 Apr:293 Suppl 37:16-26. doi: 10.1016/s1433-1128(04)80005-6.

Abstract

Variation in the incidence of vector-borne diseases is associated with extreme weather events and annual changes in weather conditions. Moreover, it is assumed that global warming might lead to an increase of infectious disease outbreaks. While a number of reports link disease outbreaks to single weather events, the El Niño/Southern Oscillation and other large-scale climate fluctuations, no report unequivocally associates vector-borne diseases with increased temperature and the environmental changes expected to accompany it. The complexity of not yet fully understood pathogen transmission dynamics with numerous variables might be an explanation of the problems in assessing the risk factors.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Communicable Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Dengue / epidemiology
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Disease Vectors*
  • Greenhouse Effect*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Malaria / epidemiology
  • Public Health
  • West Nile Fever / epidemiology