Many scientists agree that climate change will likely influence the spread of infectious diseases, from mosquito-borne illnesses like Zika to the bacteria found in contaminated food and water…But new research…suggests that higher-income nations like the United States shouldn’t write off the problem either.
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[Researchers] found that El Niño conditions were associated with a higher risk of vector-borne diseases…in the western U.S., although these illnesses didn’t change much in other parts of the country.…
The warmer, wetter conditions El Niño tends to bring to the West Coast can influence the larval development of insects, as well as their biting rates. And they can also contribute to increases in mouse populations, which serve as reservoirs for the disease-carrying ticks.
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[T]he study reinforces the idea that high-income nations still have a personal stake in the fight against climate change. While developing countries are still likely to be much more vulnerable to the overall impact of global warming…evidence heavily suggests that no part of the world will escape untouched.
The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post: New study: How El Nino can affect Zika and other infectious diseases
