Outbreaks of infectious diseases previously confined to (sub)tropical regions

Global warming is allowing some insect disease carriers to migrate northwards, and international trade and travel is carrying infections over wider areas and at a faster rate. Strains on public health may grow, with more diseases to bear in mind and with chances of rapid spread of new outbreaks.

A range of natural disease carriers are able to live and survive for longer periods in temperate regions of the world as global warming reduces the severity of cold spells. Some disease carriers may be transported alongside humans and cargo in vehicles of all kinds; human carriers of disease can be highly mobile. Diseases such as cholera, malaria and dengue fever could become more prevalent in Western countries. Indeed, some parts of Russia and the USA suffered extensively from these before the twentieth century.

Diagnosis may become more complex unless rapid diagnostic technologies are developed; treatment may be more challenging, especially with multiple diseases, antibiotic-resistant germs and highly transmittable diseases such as Ebola. Note: Some commentators dispute the importance of global warming in relation to infectious disease and emphasise factors such as increasing drug-resistance among pathogens, changing patterns of urbanisation and deforestation, and economic ideas such as the pricing of anti-malarial drugs. Others argue the major effects of climate change will lead to severe outcomes for food and water security.

Sources or references

• DECC, "What are the impacts of climate change?"
• The Lancet, 2009, "Managing the Health effects of Climate Change"
• "Climate Change: The Public Health Response", American Journal of Public Health (2008)

Some of the information in this section is provided by stakeholders and expert groups, and does not necessarily represent the views of the CfWI.