What it could cause

Vector Borne diseases

This is an infectious disease that is transmitted by animals, such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, lice, and rodents.  Climate change causes the diseases they carry to multiply or spread out faster. 

The climate change affect vector-borne diseases

The ecology of the disease is complex, climate is a major factor that influence disease transmission cycles and disease occurrence.  Changes in temperature and humidity can affect where vectors proliferate.  These changes affect the life-cycles of the pathogens they carry.

West Nile virus activity often appears to be greatest during La Nina conditions of drought and hot summer temperatures due to drought and heat.

A prolonged rainy season could make California more at risk for the introduction and establishment of exotic vectors, such as those that carry dengue and yellow fever due to wet conditions.

The diseases impact on us.

Human Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome, Lyme disease, and West Nile virus are three VBD that climate change may impact.  As climate conditions change to alter the ecology of vectors, human exposure to these diseases to increase significantly.

Human Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome

Although HCPS infections have remained rare, more common flooding or heavy precipitation cycles could increase deer mice populations, which can carry the virus.  People at risk for infection include those exposed to rodent-infested dwellings.  This is in undeveloped areas where deer mice are abundant, such as poorly maintained mountain cabins or long-vacant cabins.

Lyme Disease

Climate change impacts the distribution of the tick that transmits Lyme disease.  As wet, humid areas become drier they are less suitable tick habitat, while some dry areas may become wetter, allowing for the tick to exist where it previously did not.

Indirect health effects of VBD includes pesticide-related health effects.  Use of pesticides increase in response to growing populations of disease vectors.  Human exposures to pesticides cause a wide variety of health effects, depending on the pesticide used and the amount of exposure.