Authors
Dr. S Vasudevan, Associate Editor, Kerala Medical Journal; Additional Professor, Department of Urology, Medical College, Trivandrum, Kerala, India.
Abstract
Context: The increasing frequency of natural disasters and global travel underscores the critical link between climate change and infectious disease outbreaks. Historically, the influence of climatic conditions on epidemics has been observed, with a current apparent rise in infectious diseases attributed to rapid demographic, environmental, and climatic shifts.
Discussion: Infectious diseases are categorized into directly and indirectly transmitted types, both sensitive to climate. Pathogens and their vectors (e.g., mosquitoes, ticks) lack thermostatic mechanisms, making their survival and transmission highly dependent on local climatic conditions. While direct human-to-human transmission is less climate-sensitive, zoonotic diseases are influenced by climate-animal interactions. Indirectly transmitted diseases, particularly vector-borne (malaria, dengue) and water-borne (cholera), are profoundly affected by temperature, precipitation, and humidity, which alter vector life cycles, habitat availability, and pathogen viability. Seasonal patterns observed in diseases like influenza, enteric infections, and vector-borne illnesses further demonstrate this climatic influence. Research focuses on understanding short-term variability, long-term trends, and developing predictive models to estimate future infectious disease burdens under projected climatic changes.
Conclusion: Climate change profoundly impacts the incidence, seasonality, and geographical distribution of infectious diseases by influencing pathogens, vectors, and environmental transmission routes. A comprehensive understanding of these complex climate-disease linkages is essential for safeguarding human health and developing effective public health strategies.