Figure 1Simplified schematic diagram of the effect of climate change/global warming on infectious diseases. Modified from Ref. 2.
Figure 2The relationship between seroconversion rate in sentinel pigs and the number of days with high temperature during June, July, and August in Japan; analyses using the data from 1983 to 2003. (A) The relationship between seroconversion rate in sentinel pigs and the number of days with the average temperature equal to or higher than 25°C. There was a significant correlation between these two parameters (r = 0.6738). (B) The relationship between seroconversion rate in sentinel pigs and the number of days with the highest temperature equal to or higher than 25°C. There was a significant correlation between these two parameters (r = 0.6031). (C) The relationship between seroconversion rate in sentinel pigs and the number of days with the lowest temperature equal to or higher than 20°C. There was a significant correlation between these two parameters (r = 0.6996). X-axis: days and y-axis: seroconversion rate (%).
Table 1Emerging and forecasted effects of climate change/global warming on infectious diseases and other human health conditions in the world
Direct effect on other health conditions |
Heat waves: Short-term increase in mortality, especially among those with cardiovascular and/or respiratory diseases, and increase in heat shock patients |
Co-effect with air pollution: Increase in asthma and allergy patients |
Storms and floods: Increase in morbidity and accidental death |
|
Indirect effect on infectious diseases |
Expansion of mosquito- and tick-infested areas, and increase in mosquito activity: Increase in the number of patients with mosquito-borne infectious diseases (i.e. dengue and malaria) and expansion of epidemic areas |
Contamination of water and foods with bacteria: Increase in the number of patients with water- and foodborne infectious diseases |
Deterioration of environmental and social conditions: Increased risk of infectious diseases |