‘Creeping catastrophe’: Climate change is driving global rise in infectious diseases, leading health experts warn

Published in Nature Scientific Reports the research determined insight from 3,752 health professionals and researchers across 151 countries and is one of the largest Global studies of its kind, with 86.9% of participants based in low- and middle-income countries. Participants reported that climate change, poverty, and drug resistance are combining to create an escalating health crisis that could become a ‘creeping catastrophe’ if left unaddressed.

Data gathered in countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America identified that experts throughout the world consider vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue as the most rapidly escalating threats, followed by tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. The research confirmed they find the three main drivers are:

• Climate change, especially rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns, emerged across all regions as a primary driver of disease escalation as it expands mosquito and other vector ranges, increases breeding sites, and accelerates human mobility and displacement.
• Socioeconomic inequality, affecting living conditions and access to healthcare
• Antimicrobial resistance, undermining treatments for a wide range of infections worldwide

Read the full story on the Nuffield Department of Medicine website.