How drought is reshaping the spread of infectious diseases
From the American West to Europe, droughts are drying up rivers, fueling destructive fires and reshaping ecosystems. They are also changing the spread of infectious diseases, leading to surges in illnesses like cholera and West Nile virus around the world.
Drought is reshaping how infectious diseases spread across the globe, from the American West to Europe. A review paper published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution reveals that drier conditions can make humans and wildlife more vulnerable to certain diseases. While many parasites and disease-carrying organisms depend on water to survive, drought doesn't simply eliminate these diseases.
In fact, it can lead to increased transmission of illnesses like cholera and West Nile virus. For example, a severe drought in California in 2014 caused frogs to concentrate in remaining water bodies, resulting in more severe infections. The study also found that drought can make certain parasites and disease carriers more successful, particularly those adapted to harsh conditions.
Mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus have become more prevalent due to dwindling water levels reducing aquatic organisms that prey on mosquito larvae. Valley fever, a fungal disease, is also more prevalent in drier times due to increased dust-borne pathogens. The study identifies characteristics that may determine a pathogen's success in a drying world, such as the ability to infect a variety of hosts or survive outside aquatic environments.
As climate change brings more frequent and extreme droughts, understanding how disease transmission will change is crucial for predicting outbreaks and preparing for them.
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