Climate Change Behind the Rise of Water-Borne Infectious Diseases

New Research Finds Link Between El Niño and Cholera

El Niño Event May Have Aided Emergence of New Cholera Strain During Early 20th Century

A new study suggests that climate change may be behind the rise in water-borne infectious diseases, such as cholera. The research, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, found that an El Niño event in the early 20th century may have aided the establishment and spread of a novel cholera strain.

The study's authors analyzed data from cholera outbreaks in the Philippines from 1905 to 2012. They found that cholera incidence was strongly correlated with climatic variables, such as rainfall, temperature, and sea surface temperature. The strongest correlation was found between cholera incidence and El Niño events.

El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon that occurs every few years. It is characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. These warm temperatures can lead to changes in weather patterns, such as increased rainfall and flooding. The study's authors believe that these changes in weather patterns may have helped the cholera bacterium to spread.

The findings of this study are concerning, as they suggest that climate change may be making it easier for water-borne infectious diseases to spread. This could lead to more outbreaks of these diseases in the future, which could have a significant impact on public health.