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Contribution of climate change to the spread of infectious diseases

Climate change is already having an effect on the spread of infectious diseases beyond their typical geographic reach. Often, the cross border spread of infectious diseases is further exacerbated by the lack of global governance, policies or a consensus to mitigate climate change.

As a result, the current and future burden on humans, animals and plants is significant, especially if these infectious diseases cause large scale outbreaks.

This collection brings together in one place articles outlining those diseases (and their vectors) that are likely to spread or are already spreading across borders due to the effects of climate change. The impact of policy implementation or interventions designed to contain the spread infectious disease, and studies that could inform future global policy or practical solutions are very much welcome.

The infectious diseases covered in this collection are not limited to human diseases, but include plant and animal diseases too – all three are so often closely interlinked.

The following journals are accepting submissions to the collection:

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
BMC Infectious Diseases
BMC Public Health
Environmental Health
Globalization and Health
Gut Pathogens
Health Research Policy and Systems
Infectious Diseases of Poverty
Malaria Journal
One Health Outlook
Parasites & Vectors
Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines
Tropical Medicine and Health
Veterinary Research
Virology Journal

Manuscripts should be formatted according to individual journal guidelines and submitted via the online submission system. Please indicate clearly in the cover letter that the manuscript is to be considered for the collection 'Contribution of climate change to the spread of infectious diseases'. Manuscripts will be peer-reviewed independently by the respective journal, and accepted articles will be published online on a continuous basis.

Pre-submission enquiries are welcome.

Submission deadline: December 31st 2022

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  1. In Ethiopia, malaria is one of the major public health and socioeconomic problems, though tremendous efforts have been made. Currently, the country has a plan to eliminate malaria by 2030. To achieve this plan...

    Authors: Tilahun Adugna, Lamesgin Zelalem and Gedafaw Alelign
    Citation: Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines 2024 10:12
    Content type: Research Published on:

  2. A novel variant of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus, designated RHDV2/b/GI.2, was first discovered in France in 2010. Subsequently, RHDV2 rapidly spread to Africa, North America, Australia, and Asia. RHDV2 ou...

    Authors: Zhuo Sun, Qi An, Yuepeng Li, Xiang Gao and Hongbin Wang
    Citation: Veterinary Research 2024 55:38
    Content type: Research article Published on:

  3. In Zimbabwe, anthrax is endemic with outbreaks being reported almost annually in livestock, wildlife, and humans over the past 40 years. Accurate modelling of its spatial distribution is key in formulating eff...

    Authors: Learnmore John, Munyaradzi Davis Shekede, Isaiah Gwitira, Aldridge Nyasha Mazhindu, Davies Mubika Pfukenyi and Silvester Chikerema
    Citation: BMC Public Health 2024 24:632
    Content type: Research Published on:

  4. Globally, more than 33 million people are living with rheumatic heart disease (RHD). A high prevalence of the disease is observed in people with poor socio-economic status, overcrowding, and low access to medi...

    Authors: Hiwot Berhanu, Yimer Mekonnen, Abdulhalik Workicho, Kalkidan Hassen, Zenebe Negeri, Morankar Sudhakar, Shimelis Mitiku and Andualem Mossie
    Citation: Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines 2023 9:16
    Content type: Review Published on:

  5. Bovine mastitis, the most prevalent and costly disease in dairy cows worldwide, decreases milk quality and quantity, and increases cow culling. However, involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in mastitis is not wel...

    Authors: Man Zhou, Herman W. Barkema, Jian Gao, Jingyue Yang, Yue Wang, John P. Kastelic, Sohrab Khan, Gang Liu and Bo Han
    Citation: Veterinary Research 2023 54:78
    Content type: Research article Published on:

  6. Measles-containing vaccine (MCV) has been effective in controlling the spread of measles. Some countries have declared measles elimination. But recently years, the number of cases worldwide has increased, posi...

    Authors: Yan Jia, Qing Xu, Yuchen Zhu, Chunyu Li, Chang Qi, Kaili She, Tingxuan Liu, Ying Zhang and Xiujun Li
    Citation: BMC Public Health 2023 23:1422
    Content type: Research Published on:

  7. Future distribution of dengue risk is usually predicted based on predicted climate changes using general circulation models (GCMs). However, it is difficult to validate the GCM results and assess the uncertain...

    Authors: Hongmei Liu, Xiaodan Huang, Xiuxia Guo, Peng Cheng, Haifang Wang, Lijuan Liu, Chuanhui Zang, Chongxing Zhang, Xuejun Wang, Guofa Zhou and Maoqing Gong
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2023 12:26
    Content type: Research Article Published on:

  8. Marek’s disease virus (MDV) is a highly contagious, immunosuppressive, and oncogenic chicken pathogen causing marek’s disease (MD). In this outbreak-based study, 70 dual-purpose chickens that originated from p...

    Authors: Mastewal Birhan, Esayas Gelaye, Saddam Mohammed Ibrahim, Nega Berhane, Takele Abayneh, Belayneh Getachew, Aragaw Zemene, Kassahun Birie, Getaw Deresse, Kassaye Adamu, Bereket Dessalegn, Abebe Tesfaye Gessese, Mebrie Zemene Kinde and Molalegne Bitew
    Citation: Virology Journal 2023 20:45
    Content type: Research Published on:

  9. There are few studies on the effects of air pollutants on acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRI) in children. Here, we investigated the relationship of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), inhalable particul...

    Authors: Yi He, Wanyanhan Jiang, Xi Gao, Chengwei Lin, Jia Li and Lian Yang
    Citation: Environmental Health 2023 22:6
    Content type: Research Published on:

  10. Mosquito vectors of eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) in the USA reside within broad multi-species assemblages that vary in spatial and temporal composition, relative abundance...

    Authors: Mohamed F. Sallam, Shelley Whitehead, Narayani Barve, Amely Bauer, Robert Guralnick, Julie Allen, Yasmin Tavares, Seth Gibson, Kenneth J. Linthicum, Bryan V. Giordano and Lindsay P. Campbell
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2023 16:10
    Content type: Research Published on:

  11. Influenza seasonality has been frequently studied, but its mechanisms are not clear. Urban in-situ studies have linked influenza to meteorological or pollutant stressors. Few studies have investigated rural an...

    Authors: Jörn Rittweger, Lorenza Gilardi, Maxana Baltruweit, Simon Dally, Thilo Erbertseder, Uwe Mittag, Muhammad Naeem, Matthias Schmid, Marie-Therese Schmitz, Sabine Wüst, Stefan Dech, Jens Jordan, Tobias Antoni and Michael Bittner
    Citation: Environmental Health 2022 21:131
    Content type: Research Published on:

  12. Initiatives to eradicate malaria have a good impact on P. falciparum malaria worldwide. P. vivax, however, still presents significant difficulties. This is due to its unique biological traits, which, in compariso...

    Authors: Kassahun Habtamu, Beyene Petros and Guiyun Yan
    Citation: Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines 2022 8:27
    Content type: Review Published on:

  13. Many infectious diseases, including Tuberculosis (TB), have been put in the background with the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the number of TB patients, the parameters of the T...

    Authors: Sule Ozdemir, Derya Oztomurcuk and Muhammet Ali Oruc
    Citation: Archives of Public Health 2022 80:252
    Content type: Research Published on:

  14. Echinococcosis is a global enzootic disease influenced by different biological and environmental factors and causes a heavy financial burden on sick families and governments. Currently, government subsidies fo...

    Authors: Xiaoyu Di, Shuo Li, Bin Ma, Xiaofan Di, Yuhao Li, Bei An and Wenwen Jiang
    Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:2315
    Content type: Research Published on:

  15. In February 2021, over one hundred scientists and policy experts participated in a web-based Workshop to discuss the ways that divergent evaluations of evidence and scientific uncertainties are used to delay t...

    Authors: Nicholas Chartres, Jennifer B. Sass, David Gee, Simona A. Bălan, Linda Birnbaum, Vincent James Cogliano, Courtney Cooper, Kristi Pullen Fedinick, Roy M. Harrison, Marike Kolossa-Gehring, Daniele Mandrioli, Mark A. Mitchell, Susan L. Norris, Christopher J. Portier, Kurt Straif and Theo Vermeire
    Citation: Environmental Health 2022 21:123
    Content type: Review Published on:

  16. Human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) is a common virus that infects children early and is accompanied by lifelong latency in cells, which is easy to reactivate in immunodeficient adults, but the underlying pathological...

    Authors: Yi Li, Tianhao Qu, Dandan Li, Juanjuan Jing, Qiuming Deng and Xianyao Wan
    Citation: Virology Journal 2022 19:200
    Content type: Case Report Published on:

  17. Weather and climate-related disasters, including floods, impact undernutrition through multiple pathways, including food security, inadequate child care practices, and water and sanitation. This review aimed t...

    Authors: Caroline Noel Agabiirwe, Peter Dambach, Thabile Constance Methula and Revati K Phalkey
    Citation: Environmental Health 2022 21:98
    Content type: Review Published on:

  18. Prenatal glyphosate (GLY) exposure is associated with adverse reproductive outcomes in animal studies. Little is known about the effects of GLY exposure during pregnancy in the human population. This study aim...

    Authors: Roy R. Gerona, Jill L. Reiter, Igor Zakharevich, Cathy Proctor, Jun Ying, Robin Mesnage, Michael Antoniou and Paul D. Winchester
    Citation: Environmental Health 2022 21:95
    Content type: Research Published on:

  19. Limited evidence is available about the association between tropical cyclones and dengue incidence. This study aimed to examine the effects of tropical cyclones on the incidence of dengue and to explore the vu...

    Authors: Chuanxi Li, Zhe Zhao, Yu Yan, Qiyong Liu, Qi Zhao and Wei Ma
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2022 15:358
    Content type: Research Published on:

  20. Optimal climatic conditions for dengue vector mosquito species may play a significant role in dengue transmission. We previously developed a species-specific Suitable Conditions Index (SCI) for Aedes aegypti and

    Authors: Xinting Lu, Hilary Bambrick, Francesca D. Frentiu, Xiaodong Huang, Callan Davis, Zhongjie Li, Weizhong Yang, Gregor J. Devine and Wenbiao Hu
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2022 15:342
    Content type: Research Published on:

  21. Enteric methane emissions from dairy cows are an environmental problem as well as a gross feed energy loss to the animal. Methane is generated in the rumen by methanogenic archaea from hydrogen (H2) + carbon diox...

    Authors: Dipti W. Pitta, Nagaraju Indugu, Audino Melgar, Alexander Hristov, Krishna Challa, Bonnie Vecchiarelli, Meagan Hennessy, Kapil Narayan, Stephane Duval, Maik Kindermann and Nicola Walker
    Citation: Microbiome 2022 10:146
    Content type: Research Published on:

  22. Anthrax is a zoonotic infection caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis. Humans acquire cutaneous infection through contact with infected animals or animal products. On May 6, 2018, three cows suddenly died on ...

    Authors: Angella Musewa, Bernadette Basuta Mirembe, Fred Monje, Doreen Birungi, Carol Nanziri, Freda Loy Aceng, Steven N. Kabwama, Benon Kwesiga, Deo Birungi Ndumu, Luke Nyakarahuka, Joshua Buule, Caitlin M. Cossaboom, David Lowe, Cari B. Kolton, Chung K. Marston, Robyn A. Stoddard…
    Citation: Tropical Medicine and Health 2022 50:52
    Content type: Research Published on:

  23. Classical swine fever (CSF) virus is the causative agent of an economically important, highly contagious disease of pigs. CSFV is genetically and serologically related to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). BV...

    Authors: Weicheng Yi, Hongchang Zhu, Yihan Wu, Qingmei Li, Wange Lou, Haizhong Zhao and Zishu Pan
    Citation: Virology Journal 2022 19:121
    Content type: Research Published on:

  24. Invasive mosquito species (IMS) and their associated mosquito-borne diseases are emerging in Europe. In Belgium, the first detection of Aedes albopictus (Skuse 1894) occurred in 2000 and of Aedes japonicus japoni...

    Authors: Isra Deblauwe, Katrien De Wolf, Jacobus De Witte, Anna Schneider, Ingrid Verlé, Adwine Vanslembrouck, Nathalie Smitz, Julie Demeulemeester, Thomas Van Loo, Wouter Dekoninck, Meryam Krit, Maxime Madder, Ruth Müller and Wim Van Bortel
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2022 15:206
    Content type: Review Published on:

  25. The combined application of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) are commonly used malaria interventions that target indoor Anopheles vectors. Recent studies on the effects...

    Authors: Abebe Asale, Menale Kassie, Zewdu Abro, Bayu Enchalew, Aklilu Belay, Peter O. Sangoro, David P. Tchouassi and Clifford M. Mutero
    Citation: BMC Public Health 2022 22:930
    Content type: Study protocol Published on:

  26. Malaria vector control programs in Sub-Saharan Africa have invested many efforts and resources in the control of eight-sibling species of Anopheles gambiae complex and An. funestus group. The behaviour of sibling...

    Authors: Eliningaya J. Kweka
    Citation: Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines 2022 8:7
    Content type: Commentary Published on:

  27. Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) is classified as a class C notifiable infectious disease in China and poses a great threat to public health. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological trends an...

    Authors: Rong Liu, Yuxing Chen, Hao Liu, Xihui Huang and Fang Zhou
    Citation: Virology Journal 2022 19:34
    Content type: Research Published on:

  28. Climate change is expected to alter the global footprint of many infectious diseases, particularly vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue. Knowledge of the range and geographical context of expected ...

    Authors: Manisha A. Kulkarni, Claudia Duguay and Katarina Ost
    Citation: Globalization and Health 2022 18:1
    Content type: Research Published on:

  29. Emergence of bovine mastitis caused by Prototheca algae is the impetus to better understand these infections. Both P. bovis and P. ciferrii belong to Prototheca algae, but they differ in their pathogenicity to in...

    Authors: Wenpeng Zhao, Fumeng He, Herman W. Barkema, Siyu Xu, Jian Gao, Gang Liu, Zhaoju Deng, Muhammad Shahid, Yuxiang Shi, John P. Kastelic and Bo Han
    Citation: Veterinary Research 2021 52:144
    Content type: Research article Published on:

  30. Invasive mosquitoes of the genus Aedes are quickly spreading around the world. The presence of these alien species is concerning for both their impact on the native biodiversity and their high vector competence. ...

    Authors: Viktória Čabanová, Kristína Boršová, Marek Svitok, Jozef Oboňa, Ivana Svitková, Eva Barbušinová, Tomáš Derka, Monika Sláviková and Boris Klempa
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:572
    Content type: Research Published on:

  31. Little is known about the impact of the ecosystem disruption and its contribution on the non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) diseases (cases) rate in Florida (FL), a state with a high prevalence of NTM in the ...

    Authors: Shweta Kambali, Elena Quinonez, Arash Sharifi, Abdolrazagh Hashemi Shahraki, Naresh Kumar, Jayaweera Dushyantha and Mehdi Mirsaeidi
    Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:2058
    Content type: Research article Published on:

  32. Viral diseases cause significant damage to crop yield and quality. While fungi- and bacteria-induced diseases can be controlled by pesticides, no effective approaches are available to control viruses with chem...

    Authors: Md. Shamim Akhter, Kenji S. Nakahara and Chikara Masuta
    Citation: Virology Journal 2021 18:176
    Content type: Review Published on:

  33. Relatively little is known about how pathogens transmitted by vector insects are affected by changing temperatures analogous to those occurring in the present global warming scenario. One expectation is that, ...

    Authors: Berenice González-Rete, Ana E. Gutiérrez-Cabrera, José Antonio de Fuentes-Vicente, Paz María Salazar-Schettino, Margarita Cabrera-Bravo and Alex Córdoba-Aguilar
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:385
    Content type: Short report Published on:

  34. The transmission of vector-borne diseases is governed by complex factors including pathogen characteristics, vector–host interactions, and environmental conditions. Temperature is a major driver for many vecto...

    Authors: Fadoua El Moustaid, Zorian Thornton, Hani Slamani, Sadie J. Ryan and Leah R. Johnson
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:382
    Content type: Research Published on:

  36. Despite scientific evidence that climate change has profound and far reaching implications for public health, translating this knowledge in a manner that supports citizen engagement, applied decision-making, a...

    Authors: Laura Cameron, Rhéa Rocque, Kailey Penner and Ian Mauro
    Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:617
    Content type: Research article Published on:

  37. Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is one of the common intestinal infectious diseases worldwide and has caused huge economic and disease burdens in many countries. The average annual incidence rate of HFMD w...

    Authors: Li Ding, Ning Zhang, Bin Zhu, Jinlin Liu, Xue Wang, Feng Liu and Ying Mao
    Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:374
    Content type: Research article Published on:

  38. The aim of our study was to analyse the influence of air temperature and implemented veterinary measures on salmonellosis incidence in the Czech Republic (CZ).

    Authors: Jan Kynčl, Michaela Špačková, Alena Fialová, Jan Kyselý and Marek Malý
    Citation: BMC Public Health 2021 21:55
    Content type: Research article Published on:

  39. Aedes albopictus is an indigenous primary vector for dengue and Zika viruses in China. Compared with its insecticide resistance, biology and vector competence, little is known about its genetic variation, which c...

    Authors: Jian Gao, Heng-Duan Zhang, Xiao-Xia Guo, Dan Xing, Yan-De Dong, Ce-Jie Lan, Ge Wang, Chao-Jie Li, Chun-Xiao Li and Tong-Yan Zhao
    Citation: Parasites & Vectors 2021 14:12
    Content type: Research Published on:

  40. The Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is endemic in Iran and has a high fatality rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between CCHF incidence and meteorological variables in Zahed...

    Authors: Sairan Nili, Narges Khanjani, Yunes Jahani and Bahram Bakhtiari
    Citation: BMC Public Health 2020 20:1893
    Content type: Research article Published on:

  41. Cystic echinococcosis (CE), a worldwide zoonotic disease, is affected by various biological and environmental factors. We investigated dog/livestock populations, climatic and environmental factors influencing ...

    Authors: Mohammad Amin Ghatee, Koorosh Nikaein, Walter Robert Taylor, Mehdi Karamian, Hasan Alidadi, Zahra Kanannejad, Faezeh Sehatpour, Fateme Zarei and Gholamreza Pouladfar
    Citation: BMC Public Health 2020 20:1611
    Content type: Research article Published on:

  42. Food handlers play a significant role in the transmission of foodborne infections. Salmonella and Shigella are the most common foodborne pathogens and their infections are a major public health problem globally. ...

    Authors: Haftom Legese, Tsega Kahsay, Aderajew Gebrewahd, Brhane Berhe, Berhane Fseha, Senait Tadesse, Guesh Gebremariam, Hadush Negash, Fitsum Mardu, Kebede Tesfay and Gebre Adhanom
    Citation: Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines 2020 6:19
    Content type: Research Published on:

  43. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. The global emergence of mono- or multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and extensively drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis ...

    Authors: Getachew Kahsu Abay and Bahlbi Hailay Abraha
    Citation: Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines 2020 6:14
    Content type: Research Published on:

  44. Assessing the vulnerability of an infectious disease such as dengue among endemic population is an important requirement to design proactive programmes in order to improve resilience capacity of vulnerable com...

    Authors: Lahiru Udayanga, Nayana Gunathilaka, M. C. M. Iqbal and W. Abeyewickreme
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2020 9:102
    Content type: Research Article Published on:

  45. Climate change ranks among the most important issues globally, affecting geographic distributions of vectors and pathogens, and inducing losses in livestock production among many other damaging effects. We cha...

    Authors: Roberta Marques, Rodrigo F. Krüger, A. Townsend Peterson, Larissa F. de Melo, Natália Vicenzi and Daniel Jiménez-García
    Citation: Veterinary Research 2020 51:81
    Content type: Research article Published on:

  46. Isoniazid prophylaxis therapy is a significant public health intervention to prevent the progression of latent tuberculosis to active tuberculosis disease among people living with HIV. Those with HIV are at hi...

    Authors: Haftom Legese, Hagos Degefa, Aderajew Gebrewahd and Haftay Gebremedhin
    Citation: Tropical Diseases, Travel Medicine and Vaccines 2020 6:11
    Content type: Research Published on:

  47. Malaria continues to be a disease of massive burden in Africa, and the public health resources targeted at surveillance, prevention, control, and intervention comprise large outlays of expense. Malaria transmi...

    Authors: Sadie J. Ryan, Catherine A. Lippi and Fernanda Zermoglio
    Citation: Malaria Journal 2020 19:170
    Content type: Research Published on:

    The Correction to this article has been published in Malaria Journal 2023 22:282

  48. Brucellosis is a serious public health problem primarily affecting livestock workers. The strong seasonality of the disease indicates that climatic factors may play important roles in the transmission of the d...

    Authors: Kun Liu, Zurong Yang, Weifeng Liang, Tianci Guo, Yong Long and Zhongjun Shao
    Citation: BMC Public Health 2020 20:506
    Content type: Research article Published on:

  49. Dengue virus, an Aedes mosquito-borne flavivirus, is associated with close to 400 million reported infections per annum worldwide. Reduction of dengue virus transmission depends entirely on limiting Aedes breedin...

    Authors: Olav T. Muurlink and Andrew W. Taylor-Robinson
    Citation: Infectious Diseases of Poverty 2020 9:37
    Content type: Opinion Published on:

  50. Infectious diarrhea can lead to a considerable global disease burden. Thus, the accurate prediction of an infectious diarrhea epidemic is crucial for public health authorities. This study was aimed at developi...

    Authors: Xinyu Fang, Wendong Liu, Jing Ai, Mike He, Ying Wu, Yingying Shi, Wenqi Shen and Changjun Bao
    Citation: BMC Infectious Diseases 2020 20:222
    Content type: Research article Published on: