Climate change and its extensions in infectious diseases: South-Eastern Europe under focus

Abstract

Climate change is a result of natural processes and human-made activities influencing the atmosphere. Many infectious diseases are climate-sensitive and their nature and epidemiology are changing in parallel with the change in climatic conditions and global warming. Increased replication rates of pathogens at higher temperatures, extended transmission seasons, migration of vectors or human populations are some outcomes of the changing climate, to trigger new concerns including new epidemics with old or new pathogens. Climate change is presenting itself today as an urgent global health threat and it requires immediate international action with high priority. Infectious diseases in relation to changing climatic conditions are reviewed with predominating current examples, keeping a focus on Europe with particular emphasis on South-Eastern European and Eurasian regions.