Climate Changes and the Epidemiology of Arboviral Diseases
摘要
Arboviral infections constitute many emerging infections and are a major global health threat. A complex array of interconnected factors related to climate and ecosystem changes related to human activities has resulted in the expansion of these infections to larger populations and newer regions. The effects of changing climate may be unpredictable with potential for emergence of new infections, reemergence of prior eradicated infections, or decrease in certain infections due to unsuitable climatic conditions. These infections may have a disproportionate effect on vulnerable regions in low- and middle-income countries, which already have a high burden of infectious diseases. Coupled with the direct effects of warming weather and extreme weather events, these infections may pose a significant burden to health systems in many regions. A concerted multi-sectoral global effort comprising strategies to limit effects of climate events, investment in research on zoonotic diseases, strengthening public health systems for surveillance of these infections, and appropriate resource allocation to vulnerable areas is necessary to mitigate the consequences of these diseases on human health. In this chapter, we discuss the factors influencing arboviral infections and potential strategies to adapt to the evolving effects of a changing climate.