Climate change and the emergence and exacerbation of infectious diseases: A review

Abstract

Experts expressed severe concerns over the possibility of increasing burden of infectious diseases as the planet’s climate began to change years ago. There have been increased rates of climate-related catastrophes and as global temperatures rise, emergence of certain viruses has become a serious concern. Vectors are susceptible to changing temperatures as they exhibit innate responses to thermal stress to increase survivability. Climate change impacts virus reservoirs, increasing transmission rates of vectors. Vector-borne diseases have already witnessed increasing numbers compared to before. Certain non-endemic areas are encountering their first-ever infectious disease cases due to increasing temperatures. Tick-borne diseases are undergoing transformations provoking a heightened prevalence. Food-borne illnesses are expected to increase owing to warmer temperatures. It is important to recognize that climate change has a multivariable impact on the transmission of viruses. With climate change comes the potential of increasing interspecies interactions promoting jumps. These factors must be considered, and an informed strategy must be formulated. Adaptation and mitigation strategies are required to curb these diseases from spreading. Despite significant evidence that climate change affects infectious diseases, gaps in research exist. We conducted this review to identify the potential role climate change plays in the emergence of new viruses.