Climate change and infectious diseases of animals: A review

Abstract

Infectious diseases of animals are of huge socioeconomic and public health importance & climate change is one of the predictable factors to affect the future pattern of disease occurrence, disease spread, spatial and temporal distribution. The earth’s temperature has risen at an average of 0.3 to 0.7 °C since 1900 & 20-30% of all vertebrate animals are expected to get extinct if the average temperature rises by 2-3 °C. According to PRECIS (Providing Regional Climates for Impact Studies) projections, the mean surface temperature in India is to rise by 2.5-5 °C by the end of this century. Hydrological cycle alterations can lead to increased frequency of droughts & floods in India. In this scenario the incidence of animal disease is set to rise drastically, more so of the vector borne diseases. Further the climate change is resulting in emergence & re-emergence of plethora of infectious diseases throughout the world, mostly the zoonotic ones as 75% of the emerging animal diseases are zoonotic in nature. A two pronged approach must be adapted to tackle the alarming situation arising out of climate change impacts. Adaptation may involve the measures for future adaptation to the disease onslaught and the Mitigation focuses on reducing the level of agents/factors leading to the climate change. One health concept in one health triad needs to be followed in spirit to avert the otherwise sure to come impacts of climate change.