NEWS BRIEF: Infectious diseases made worse by climate change, study says

Researchers are finding that many infectious diseases suffered by humans are exacerbated by extreme weather connected to the earth’s warming, according to the journal Nature Climate Change. A study conducted by the Global Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that hazards such as flooding, heat waves, and drought have worsened the effects of more than half of the hundreds of known infectious diseases, including malaria, hantavirus, cholera and anthrax.

“The findings of this study are terrifying and illustrate well the enormous consequences of climate change on human pathogens,” said Dr. Carlos del Rio, an Emory University specialist. “Those of us in infectious diseases and microbiology need to make climate change one of our priorities, and we need to all work together to prevent what will be without doubt a catastrophe as a result of climate change.” Details: 11alive.com