Answer to Question #119105 in Biology for Shania kumar

Question

Link between global climate change and infectious diseases

Answer 1

Studies suggest that global warming increases the distribution of infectious diseases. Several potential mechanisms explain the direct association between global warming and the rapid spreading of infectious disease. First, global warming leads to increased areas of warm climate. As a result, the areal of mosquitos and mosquito-borne disease (i.e., malaria and dengue fever) increase. Global warming results in frequent flooding that directly contributes to the distribution of mosquitos that require water environment for reproduction. As a result, mosquitos may inhabit new warmer areas leading to the distribution of infectious diseases. A similar mechanism is involved in the spreading of ticks that are the carriers of bacteria causing Lyme disease. Next, warmer climates lead to the additional heating of water increases the risk of water-borne disease, specifically bacteria (i.e., cholera) that are distributed through contaminated water. Finally, global warming leads to the migration of various animals leading to the mixing of their disease resulting in the formation of new bacterial and viral strains that are highly pathogenic.