Linking climate and infectious disease trends in the Northern/Arctic Region

Abstract

Recognition of climate-sensitive infectious diseases is crucial for mitigating health threats from climate change. Recent studies have reasoned about potential climate sensitivity of diseases in the Northern/Arctic Region, where climate change is particularly pronounced. By linking disease and climate data for this region, we here comprehensively quantify empirical climate-disease relationships. Results show significant relationships of borreliosis, leptospirosis, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), Puumala virus infection, cryptosporidiosis, and Q fever with climate variables related to temperature and freshwater conditions. These data-driven results are consistent with previous reasoning-based propositions of climate-sensitive infections as increasing threats for humans, with notable exceptions for TBE and leptospirosis. For the latter, the data imply decrease with increasing temperature and precipitation experienced in, and projected for, the Northern/Arctic Region. This study provides significant data-based underpinning for simplified empirical assessments of the risks of several infectious diseases under future climate change.

Published in

Scientific Reports
2021, volume: 11, number: 1, article number: 20678

SLU Authors

• Thierfelder, Tomas

  • Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Global goals (SDG)

SDG3 Good health and well-being
SDG13 Climate action

UKÄ Subject classification

Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology
Environmental Sciences
Climate Research

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-00167-z

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/114023