Climate change is happening now. Nine of the 10 hottest years on record have occurred in the past decade and were accompanied by extreme heat waves, droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, and severe flooding. Primarily due to greenhouse gases released via combustion of fossil fuels, global average temperatures between 2011 and 2020 increased to 1.1 °C (approximately 1.9 °F) above preindustrial levels and are estimated to increase to 1.5 °C (approximately 2.7 °F) by 2040.1
Local manifestations of the warming earth, such as shorter winters, changes in precipitation, and increased frequency of extreme weather events, will cause worldwide changes in pathogens, vectors, and the behavior of animal reservoirs and people. These changes may alter infectious disease epidemiology in the US and internationally as traditionally accepted regions of disease acquisition lose relevance, seasonal associations change, and new pathogens emerge. Awareness of changes in the geographic range, seasonality, and frequency of transmission of infectious diseases because of climate change is important to help clinicians diagnose, treat, and prevent infectious diseases in patients (Table). [JAMA Network]
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