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VOL. 8, ISSUE 1 (2023)
Climate change and emerging zoonotic parasitic and viral diseases: A critical review of a shifting paradigm
Authors
Mampi Dey
Abstract
The accelerating pace of human-driven climate change is fundamentally
transforming the ecological and evolutionary environments in which infectious
diseases emerge, marking the 21st century as an era dominated by pandemic
threats. This review critically combines current knowledge on the link between
climate change and the rise of zoonotic parasitic and viral diseases. We argue
that climate change functions not just as a single cause but as a powerful
threat multiplier, working alongside land-use change, biodiversity loss, and
globalisation to break down the ecological barriers that traditionally
separated human, domestic animal, and wildlife pathogen reservoirs. Through a
comparative analysis of vector-borne diseases, directly transmitted zoonoses,
and parasitic infections, we highlight the complex mechanisms, such as changes
in vector distribution, longer transmission seasons, host immune suppression,
and pathogen evolution, that increase this risk. Our review shows that while
the effects on viral diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, and emerging
coronaviruses have received much attention, the significant yet more subtle
influence on parasitic diseases such as leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis, and
soil-transmitted helminths is equally important. We conclude that a simple,
one-way model of climate-driven disease emergence is inadequate. Instead, a
more advanced, interdisciplinary approach that combines climate science,
veterinary medicine, ecology, and public health is necessary. Future
preparedness should shift from reactive outbreak management to proactive,
systems-based surveillance that anticipates and reduces risks at the
human-animal-environment interface.
Pages:68-74
How to cite this article:
Mampi Dey "Climate change and emerging zoonotic parasitic and viral diseases: A critical review of a shifting paradigm". International Journal of Biology Research, Vol 8, Issue 1, 2023, Pages 68-74
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