Will climate change amplify epidemics and give rise to pandemics?

Science. 2023 Aug 25;381(6660):eadk4500. doi: 10.1126/science.adk4500. Epub 2023 Aug 25.

Abstract

While the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, another crisis continues to spiral at a much faster speed than was expected. Climate change is dominating our lives and causing a high level of distress. Countries all over the world are struggling to survive the damage caused by extreme events. They are trying to control wildfires, rebuild roads and houses damaged by floods, and learn to survive in a hotter and more dangerous world. However, there is also a new threat that is being overlooked-the interaction between climate change and infectious diseases. A comprehensive meta-analysis revealed that climate change could aggravate more than 50% of known human pathogens. Unfortunately, this is happening now.

Publication types

  • Editorial

MeSH terms

  • Climate Change*
  • Communicable Diseases* / epidemiology
  • Endemic Diseases*
  • Floods
  • Hot Temperature
  • Humans
  • Pandemics*