Cited by 995Climate Change and Health ImpactsZoonotic diseases and public healthClimate Change and Environmental Impact

Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change

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Mora, Camilo, McKenzie, Tristan, Gaw, Isabella M., Dean, Jacqueline M., von Hammerstein, Hannah, Knudson, Tabatha A., Setter, Renee O., Smith, Charlotte Z. +3 more·2022·Nature Climate Change

Abstract

It is relatively well accepted that climate change can affect human pathogenic diseases; however, the full extent of this risk remains poorly quantified. Here we carried out a systematic search for empirical examples about the impacts of ten climatic hazards sensitive to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on each known human pathogenic disease. We found that 58% (that is, 218 out of 375) of infectious diseases confronted by humanity worldwide have been at some point aggravated by climatic hazards; 16% were at times diminished. Empirical cases revealed 1,006 unique pathways in which climatic hazards, via different transmission types, led to pathogenic diseases. The human pathogenic diseases and transmission pathways aggravated by climatic hazards are too numerous for comprehensive societal adaptations, highlighting the urgent need to work at the source of the problem: reducing GHG emissions.

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  1. [3]Smith, K. et al. in Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability (eds Field, C. B. et al.) 709–754 (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2014).
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Authors
Mora, C., McKenzie, T., Gaw, I. M., Dean, J. M., von Hammerstein, H., Knudson, T. A., Setter, R. O., Smith, C. Z., Webster, K. M., Patz, J. A., & Franklin, E. C.
Affiliations
  • University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (US)
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
Corresponding author
Mora, Camilo
Venue
Nature Climate Change
Published
2022-08-08
Volume
12
Issue
9
Pages
869-875
ISSN
  • 1758-678X (ISSN-L)
  • 1758-6798
OpenAlex
W4290673830
Cited by
995
References
100
Citations by year
2026: 202 · 2025: 277 · 2024: 272 · 2023: 189 · 2022: 51 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2013: 1
FWCI
77.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Climate Change (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • University of Hawai'i
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Climate Change and Health Impacts
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Zoonotic diseases and public health
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Climate Change and Environmental Impact
Keywords
climate change, infectious diseases, climate hazards, greenhouse gas emissions, disease transmission pathways, climate change adaptation, emission reduction

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