A new study among researchers of several institutions suggests that internal climate variability can increase the spread of vector-borne diseases.
What’s happening?
The study, published in PNAS, defines ICV as “natural fluctuations that occur [in our environment] irrespective of external factors.” External factors are things like an increase in polluting gases in our atmosphere.
News-Medical.Net further explained that researchers often don’t consider ICV when studying vector-borne diseases. But it could be the reason why increased preparation and surveillance needs to happen in case of future outbreaks.
Why do we need to prepare for potential outbreaks?
ICV can exacerbate the effects of increased air pollution, which include rising global temperatures. All of these issues can increase the spread of vector-borne diseases and endanger our health.
We’re already seeing a rise in vector-borne diseases in places where they’ve never been seen before. News-Medical noted that Los Angeles and Paris saw dengue fever transmission for the first time in 2023. Mosquitoes that spread the dengue virus were also found in the U.K.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of dengue fever usually start four to 10 days after a mosquito bites someone. While most people recover within a week, severe symptoms and cases can lead to death.
If action doesn’t happen soon, dengue may continue to creep into Europe and the U.S. It could also get even worse where it’s typically found: Southeast Asia, the western Pacific islands, Latin America, and Africa.
What’s being done about vector-borne diseases?
A vaccine is currently available in U.S. territories and freely associated states where dengue is endemic, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Besides that, one of the best things you can do is prevent mosquito bites from happening in the first place. The Mayo Clinic recommends actions like wearing protective clothing, using mosquito repellent, and reducing standing water where possible — or using mosquito dunks — to stop mosquitoes from reproducing nearby.
Places like San Diego County are taking swift action when cases do show up to prevent further spread as well.
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