Abstract

REVIEW ON IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Ashish Bhaktprahlad Singh*, Sanjana Raghwendra Singh and Ayan Sarkar

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Abstract

Climate change is increasingly recognized as a major driver of the emergence and spread of infectious diseases worldwide. This review article presents a comprehensive assessment of the multifaceted impacts of climate change on infectious diseases, exploring the intricate interplay between changing climatic conditions and disease dynamics. Rising global temperatures have accelerated the reproduction rates of disease vectors, such as mosquitoes, leading to an amplification in disease transmission for diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and West Nile virus. Additionally, alterations in rainfall patterns have resulted in changes in mosquito breeding habitats and triggered outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera and Giardia infections. Furthermore, climate change has influenced wildlife behavior and ecological systems, facilitating the spillover of zoonotic diseases, including Lyme disease and avian influenza. The changing distribution of pathogens and vectors poses significant challenges to public health systems, necessitating robust surveillance and adaptive strategies to safeguard human populations from infectious disease outbreaks. Moreover, extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, have been linked to exacerbating disease transmission, further underscoring the urgency of understanding and addressing the impacts of climate change on infectious diseases. In light of these complex interactions, this review underscores the critical importance of interdisciplinary research, collaboration between scientific disciplines and policymakers, and the development of targeted public health interventions. Effective mitigation and adaptation strategies are essential to reduce the burden of infectious diseases in the face of a changing climate. Public health systems must be prepared to respond to the evolving challenges posed by climate change, while fostering resilience and adaptive capacity to protect global health and well-being.

Keywords: Infectious disease, vector borne disease, food borne disease, water borne disease, climate change, droughts, floods, temperature, transmission.