Rising Temperature Increases Health Risk and Infectious Diseases, Expert Warns

Warmer temperatures caused by climate change pose a twofold threat: increased transmission of animal-borne diseases and prolonged flu seasons.

Health Threats

Dr. Emine Didem Evci Kiraz of Adnan Menderes University Medical School in Aydin, Türkiye, stated that rising temperatures could significantly exacerbate the effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun, changes in food and water quality-related diseases, infectious disease agents and their transmissions, animal-derived diseases, and mental health issues.

She also mentioned the potential introduction of new diseases, emphasizing our health's sensitivity to climate change.

Kiraz stated that the typical body temperature for a human ranges from 36.1 degrees Celsius (96.7 degrees Fahrenheit) to 37.8 degrees Celsius, with systems such as perspiration and heat transfer in place to keep it stable.

High temperatures stress the heart and blood arteries, promoting fluid loss in tissues and cells and impairing kidney function.

Experts cautioned against the development of metabolic syndromes and disruptions in organ balance under stress, as well as emergencies such as blood pressure decreases and rapid fainting due to heat.

Kiraz also said that prolonged heat and water loss can render a person immobile and result in death, while abrupt heat waves can trigger mental health concerns, violence, and dangerous conduct.

The temperatures around 37 degrees Celsius create an ideal setting for rapid bacterial development, making the body more susceptible to unsanitary circumstances and raising the risk of food and waterborne infections.

She emphasized the importance of considering climate change's impact on diseases like allergies and asthma.

Events like air pollution, floods, wildfires, and dust storms can alter pollen structure and increase disease-causing factors, leading to higher frequencies of conditions like asthma, rhinosinusitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and respiratory infections caused by extended pollen seasons.

Climate change-related disasters, such as floods and power outages, can exacerbate water and foodborne infections and increase food poisoning.

Kiraz noted that animals are transferring new diseases and infections as a result of climate change, including arboviruses, dengue fever, Chikungunya fever, and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever.

Adapt And Reduce

Scientists propose an approach to address the problem: adapt to climate change by improving diets, housing, access to nature, and agricultural methods; and reduce its effects by lowering emissions, improving air quality, and promoting natural biodiversity.

To take effective action, however, we require data to inform new measures and monitor the progress of existing ones.

Scientists are working on three main data initiatives: biomarkers, economic models, and data science tools.

Biomarkers will track immune-mediated diseases such as cancer induced by air pollution, while new economic models will be able to quantify the harm caused by climate change as well as the cost benefits of corrective measures. Meanwhile, data scientists are creating novel techniques to understand the multifaceted effects of our changed environment on our immune systems.

"I hope by sharing current knowledge on how our actions adversely affect planetary and human health, and some of the actions we can take to adapt to and mitigate these changes, we can empower individual citizens as well as local, national, and international organizations to work towards a better future," aid Prof Kari Nadeau of Harvard University.