US Climate and Health Alliance

We Can Expect More Outbreaks Like Zika As the Climate Changes

Abstract

The factors leading to the current Zika outbreak won’t be clear for some time, but environmental health experts say there’s a good chance such infectious diseases will become more common as the global climate warms. Mosquitoes, the blood-sucking insects responsible for transmitting Zika virus in Brazil and more than 20 other countries and territories in the Americas, are responsive to changing weather conditions, and experts warn they may increase in numbers as temperatures rise and as changes in precipitation levels create more standing pools of water — mosquitoes’ favorite breeding ground. More of the insects that host the virus could mean a higher chance of being infected.

Resource Type
Magazine/newspaper article
Author
Huffington Post (Science)
Resource URL
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/zika-climate-change_us_56b0fad0e4b0fbfdd6157207
Date
February 3, 2016
Organization Type
News
Health and Human Impact
Vector-borne disease
Other
Health surveillance

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