Climate Change and Health: The Case of Infectious Diseases

Abstract

There is no doubt that global climate change poses a threat to human health in a number of ways. Globally, 23% of all deaths in 2012 were attributed to the environment and an additional 250,000 potential deaths per year from 2030 to 2050 due to the effects of climate change. Heat waves, storms, droughts and floods pose an immediate risk of infectious diseases in humans. Temperature affects the survival rates of pathogens. Some populations and some areas are more vulnerable to infectious diseases due to their lack of ability to respond effectively to the stresses of high temperatures. Excessive rainfall could cause sewage to overflow and promote the onset and spread of infectious diseases ranging in severity from mild gastroenteritis to life-threatening illnesses such as cholera, dysentery and other diseases. Infectious diseases are a category of health problems that are particularly affected by climate change. Infections that occur are air-borne, water-borne and zoonotic. They are affected by the increase of the temperature, but also by the increase of the viral load in the water due to changes in the rainfall. Transmission can also take place through the migration of environmental refugees. Such an important topic could be the subject for students learning English. The purpose of this study will be to highlight the association of climate change with infectious-communicable diseases in order to take action and to create the structure by which students could learn English by studying these definitions.

Citation

Tsagaki-Rekleitou, E., Oikonomou, V., Boukouvala, A.-D., Tsatsou, M., Skreka, T. and Skanavis, C. (2022), "Climate Change and Health: The Case of Infectious Diseases", Manolas, E. and Leal Filho, W. (Ed.) The Academic Language of Climate Change: An Introduction for Students and Non-native Speakers, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 151-157. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80382-911-120221022