South Beach, Miami Florida. By Averette - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4589902

Study: “Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change”

Essay by Eric Worrall

According to this study, warm weather is bad for us, because it either encourages people to stay indoors, or encourages enjoyment of water sports.

Analysis
Published: 

Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change

Camilo MoraTristan McKenzieIsabella M. GawJacqueline M. DeanHannah von HammersteinTabatha A. KnudsonRenee O. SetterCharlotte Z. SmithKira M. WebsterJonathan A. Patz & Erik C. Franklin 

Abstract

It is relatively well accepted that climate change can affect human pathogenic diseases; however, the full extent of this risk remains poorly quantified. Here we carried out a systematic search for empirical examples about the impacts of ten climatic hazards sensitive to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on each known human pathogenic disease. We found that 58% (that is, 218 out of 375) of infectious diseases confronted by humanity worldwide have been at some point aggravated by climatic hazards; 16% were at times diminished. Empirical cases revealed 1,006 unique pathways in which climatic hazards, via different transmission types, led to pathogenic diseases. The human pathogenic diseases and transmission pathways aggravated by climatic hazards are too numerous for comprehensive societal adaptations, highlighting the urgent need to work at the source of the problem: reducing GHG emissions.

Read more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01426-1

One of the risk factors identified in the study is the risk warm weather could encourage more water sports.

Climatic hazards bringing people closer to pathogens

Climatic hazards also facilitated the contact between people and pathogens by moving people closer to pathogens. Heatwaves, for instance, by increasing recreational water-related activities, have been associated with rising cases of several waterborne diseases such as Vibrio-associated infections47, primary amoebic meningoencephalitis48 and gastroenteritis49.

Read more: Same link as above

Of course staying indoors on hot days, instead of going for a swim, can also kill you.

… Higher temperatures have been associated with increased COVID-19 cases in some instances67, and although a mechanism was not outlined, it is possible that extreme heat forces people indoors, which can increase the risk of virus transmission, especially when combined with poor or reduced ventilation; …

Read more: Same link as above

Frankly I don’t think such studies are credible. Reading this study is like watching first year medical student hypochondriacs self diagnose all their rare diseases.

Studies which predict extreme disease risks in a warmer world fail to explain the benign environment of places which are already warm. If warmer weather was such a disease risk factor, Florida and Singapore would be unsurvivable disease ridden nightmares, instead of being the pleasant holiday destinations or places to live which they are.

Warmer weather might help ticks and mosquitoes to survive milder winters, but warmer weather also helps animals which prey on ticks and mosquitoes to survive.

Having said that, Mosquitoes don’t need any help to survive in cold weather. During the depths of the Little Ice Age, one of the biggest killers in Northern Europe was Malaria. Of course, hundreds of years ago, the disease wasn’t called Malaria, our ancestors called it Ague. Ague was such a problem in the 16th century, William Shakespeare’s plays referred to Ague at least 14 times.

How did our ancestors finally control Malaria? The same way we will be able to fix any problems which occur if the world continues warming, they figured out solutions to their problems. Our ancestors drained the worst swamps, and discovered cheap and readily available mosquito control chemicals such as light mineral oil and castor oil, which floats in a thin film on top of water and kills mosquito larvae.

Our ancestors adapted and prospered, just like we will.

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Paul S.
August 8, 2022 6:04 pm

Woe to us

Bryan A
Reply to  Paul S.
August 8, 2022 8:04 pm

Whereas extreme COLD causes people to frolic naked outside???
NEPPERS
Cold causes people to stay indoors and combust fuels creating CO2 to stay warm

Scissor
Reply to  Bryan A
August 8, 2022 9:09 pm

Shrinkage.

yirgach
Reply to  Bryan A
August 9, 2022 7:57 am

Those long cold nights encourages the practice of increasing the species.

observa
August 8, 2022 6:07 pm

I see climate deniers are up to their old tricks again on social media producing historical records and temperature data-
Climate deniers use past heat records to sow doubt online (msn.com)
Whatever dastardly tricks will they get up to next?

Reply to  Eric Worrall
August 9, 2022 2:32 am

Of course. The real world is rather messy and not so easily stuffed into pigeonholes.

Reply to  observa
August 9, 2022 7:18 am

Read the article. It’s basically Greenpeace vs the climate deniers.

Martin
August 8, 2022 6:07 pm

The principles of overcoming or adapting to adversity are no longer acceptable as “living in harmony with nature” is the new mantra. Never mind that our ancestors were smart enough to figure out that nature would kill anything that doesn’t adapt or overcome adverse conditions. Humans are now smarter…not!

observa
Reply to  Martin
August 8, 2022 6:36 pm

You simply must trust the science and the scientists because they go to university-
A volcano is erupting again in Iceland. Is climate change causing more eruptions? – ABC News

Jim Veenbaas
Reply to  observa
August 8, 2022 7:15 pm

The logical dissonance is spectacular. If you’re foolish enough to believe climate change can cause volcanoes, you must be myopic enough not to understand this would indirectly cool the planet.

Reply to  observa
August 8, 2022 9:49 pm

An actor named Glover, from the Lethal Weapon movies fame, actually spouted that nonsense during an interview. I don’t think he ever wised up.

J.R.
Reply to  observa
August 8, 2022 10:53 pm

Hmmm. Greenhouse gases heat the atmosphere, which heats the ocean, which heats the crust, which heats the mantle, which causes more magma to form, which leads to more volcanic eruptions. By Jove, Watson, I think we’ve got it!

Bill Toland
Reply to  J.R.
August 8, 2022 11:15 pm

Horrifically, you have just illustrated how some climate alarmists think. I actually know someone who reasons like that. Any contrary evidence that I present to her is just brushed aside as denier misinformation. The sheer level of propaganda from the media which is present in Britain today is just staggering.

Jack
Reply to  observa
August 9, 2022 6:57 am

You are right ! Our former president F.Hollande steadily believed that the global warming could trigger earthquakes…

John Garrett
August 8, 2022 6:26 pm

Borenstein has already regurgitated it on the Associated Press website. Covering Climate Now is hard at work.

August 8, 2022 6:53 pm

Great news – the climate is getting better for human health.

Fewer extreme weather events (see list below for the US)

Slightly warmer winters should reduce heart disease deaths.

COMING CLIMATE CHANGE CRISIS PROPAGANDA IS SO EFFECTIVE THAT IT PREVENTS MOST PEOPLE FROM ENJOYING TODAY’S WONDERFUL CLIMATE. 

U.S. HURRICANES MAKING LANDFALL HAVE BEEN IN A DOWNTREND SINCE THE LATE 1800s. 

MAJOR US TORNADOES HAVE BEEN IN A DOWNTREND SINCE THE 1950s. 

US HEAT WAVES, DROUGHTS AND FOREST FIRE ACRES BURNED PEAKED IN THE 1930s. 

THE 1930s STILL HAVE THE MOST US STATE MAXIMUM HEAT RECORDS OF ANY DECADE, BY FAR. 

rd50
August 8, 2022 7:04 pm

As stated in the original here: “Our ancestors adapted and prospered, just like we will.”
We are doing quite well in the US doing just this, adapting and prospering.
As proven by the Government.
The Governmental statistics here indicate that both males and females are living healthier and longer. This has consequences.
First, the retirement age payments (Social Security) will be best, when clamed at higher ages.
Second, the age to be obligated to take RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) on US Government approved retirement accounts (many types of them) has been increased from age 70 to 72, because we live longer. We live longer and better and the Government knows it!
The scientists are claiming otherwise! They just want more money to “study”!
Obviously we do have a pandemic now, yes. One more thing to adapt to!

Reply to  rd50
August 8, 2022 10:04 pm

Compare the average longevity of the U.S. citizen when Social Security was started compared to now. I believe it was something like 63 so that’s why they chose the full retirement age of 65. Of course the government bureaucrats know we’re living longer, they keep bumping the full retirement age up.

They just like keeping the citizenry scared to justify their paychecks by fixing the problems they make or make up.

Reply to  Brad-DXT
August 9, 2022 5:38 pm

average longevity”

Is just as foolish as a global average temperature.

When tracing my family ancestors, I was astonished at how many lived into their eighties and older.

Their existence and longevity is averaged with victims of war, pestilence and “died in childbirth”.

Most of the 20th century’s amazing increase in “average longevity” is because after WWII and the Korean War, deaths due to warfare declined drastically.

Reply to  ATheoK
August 9, 2022 10:02 pm

Tell the good people looking at actuarial tables in insurance companies and the Social Security office that they are being foolish.
They are just looking at the numbers, not the causes.

Also, the increases in longevity are probably due to increased sanitation, prevalence of running water, and medical advances.

Duane
August 8, 2022 7:10 pm

This is absolute bullshit, not to put too fine a point on it. Everybody knows that most communicable diseases are much more transmissible in the cold weather season than in the warm. Cold and flu season, anybody? COVID transmission also greatly accelerates in the cold season.

Editor
Reply to  Duane
August 8, 2022 8:08 pm

Thanks, Duane, you saved me from writing the comment. My version wouldn’t have had as nice a turn of phrase.

Reply to  Duane
August 9, 2022 7:43 am

BS indeed. The title says:

Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change

But the detail says:

We found that 58% (that is, 218 out of 375) of infectious diseases confronted by humanity worldwide have been at some point aggravated by climatic hazards;

“Climate change” and “climate hazard” are not the same. They recite the standard catechism of the wide-eyed climate alarm believers: floods, drought, heatwaves, “extreme weather”, etc. As has been pointed out here numerous times, there is no evidence that a warming planet—especially the slight and slow warming of the last century—”causes” or even exacerbates extreme weather. In fact, measurements have shown no causal relationship whatsoever. It is assumed from their hand-tweaked computer models that all bad things increase due to warming but measurements show no such thing; just good old natural variation.

Alan
August 8, 2022 7:15 pm

Ok so if it’s warm, people stay in to enjoy the AC. And when it’s warm people go outside.

H.R.
Reply to  Alan
August 8, 2022 7:43 pm

So it is, Alan. So it is.

Do these researchers have a third option besides curl up and die? And has any of the $billions already spent made a dent in the problem?

rd50 just above cites evidence that the only problem is that we are living longer. But no worries. Our government is hard at work solving that problem.

August 8, 2022 7:21 pm

I am an infectious diseases expert and I agree the study is utter nonsense. The coldest periods of recent history were by far the worst for human society due to a combination of difficult harvests, malnutrition and consequent epidemics of infectious disease. Warming has been one of the best things to happen to human society in terms of nutrition and contagion. One need only look at the rapidly rising human longevity in the past century to know the claims above are ridiculous.

rd50
Reply to  Andy Pattullo
August 8, 2022 7:43 pm

Indeed. Human longevity. You are correct. But this is not what “scientists” claim. They want more money to study.

StevenF
Reply to  Andy Pattullo
August 8, 2022 10:03 pm

Actually it is worst than that. It has been proven that all human pathogenic diseases are aggravated by being alive. No really. Hard to believe but it’s true.

When you’re dead, you never get sick. Though you still have to vote democratic.

Paul
Reply to  StevenF
August 8, 2022 10:25 pm

That’s so true!

Reply to  Andy Pattullo
August 9, 2022 2:37 am

That was before CO2 was responsible for everything bad.

Duane
Reply to  Andy Pattullo
August 9, 2022 4:51 am

Yup – physical stress is a key factor in the human body’s ability to fend off disease microbes. The human body evolved to be a warm weather species in Africa. Cold weather saps one’s physical strength because a great deal of energy is expended keeping the core body temperature at 98.6 deg F when exterior temperatures are low, there’s wind, and wetness. Cold weather is also when food availability is at its least, and malnutrition certainly stresses the body. Cold weather is also when humans tend to stay indoors the most, in close proximity, trying to stay warm by the fire.

H.R.
August 8, 2022 7:29 pm

Good grief! Did these █████s** even think to plot waterborne illnesses against increased wealth?

As people become better off, they start vacationing at the beach, buying ski or fishing boats, 2nd homes on the coast or on a lake, and installing pools in their backyards.

I’d wager there is a far stronger correlation between increasing household income and waterborne illness than temperature.

**█████ self-censored. Family friendly blog and all that and no need to insult garden slugs.

asiaseen
August 8, 2022 7:31 pm

Interesting that none of the many authors appear to have any medical, or disease-related, experience at all. But then who needs it for a google search which is what this study is?

As for warm weather encouraging people to stay indoors, cold weather is a much stronger incentive for being inside.

John Pickens
August 8, 2022 7:53 pm

So Climate Change is Global Warming again?
Just checking…

H.R.
Reply to  John Pickens
August 8, 2022 8:07 pm

Is this a day ending in ‘Y’? Well okay, then. Yes, Climate Change™ is Global Warming.

Bryan A
Reply to  John Pickens
August 8, 2022 8:08 pm

For how they want us to eat…Global Worming

dk_
August 8, 2022 8:10 pm

relatively well accepted that climate change can affect human pathogenic diseases

Really? By whom? If that unsupported statement is the opening sentence of the abstract, any alternative is not going to be considered in the paper.

Old Man Winter
August 8, 2022 8:15 pm

Dr Fraudci & the Chinese spread dangerous pathogens much more
than global warming ever will. They’re masters of disaster!

https://nypost.com/2022/07/09/covid-wont-be-the-last-epidemic-china-helps-spread/

https://thenationalpulse.com/2022/07/28/fauci-nih-agency-is-still-funding-ccp-military-labs/

Power Line
The China syndrome, pandemic edition

bongino.com
Rand Paul: We Learned That Fauci Has Been Lying To Us

Bob
August 8, 2022 8:22 pm

Who is paying for this kind of crap? Time to turn off the spigot.

Reply to  Bob
August 9, 2022 2:25 am

Politicians pay for it, but with our money.

August 8, 2022 10:20 pm

But it only took 11 authors to produce this nonsense.

Reply to  Phillip Bratby
August 9, 2022 12:20 am

Look at us! we’re good little scientists useful idiots, we’ll say anything to be accepted into the church of meaningless doom…

Pathetic.

Reply to  Phillip Bratby
August 9, 2022 9:41 am

The more authors, the less peers.

DHR
August 8, 2022 11:01 pm

So I suppose that disease in Florida (average of 70.7F) must be much worse than that in Maine (average of 41.0F)? That should be easy for one of these “researchers” to figure out. Ever mind, I just did it. Life expectancy in Florida – 80.2 yrs, in Maine – 78.7yrs.

J.R.
August 8, 2022 11:03 pm

“Everyone should be miserable and afraid at all times because of the vast number of dangerous uncertainties that exist. We’re certain of it.”

Zig Zag Wanderer
August 9, 2022 12:34 am

Heat causes people to stay inside? Is that why the UK has much more of an outdoors lifestyle than Australia, which is much warmer?

August 9, 2022 2:08 am

Nice masthead photo – see those peeps doing as I suggested in Willis’ recent thread -making not only Vitamin D but also giving their immune systems a massive boost by soaking up Near Infra Red radiation to make Melatonin.

by the by – why not extend that to Sick Building Syndrome?
What is it that causes A Building (offices usually) to be ‘sick’?
Silly me, it’s the people inside it who get sick – usually a vast hard to describe phenomena but basically a nebulous amorphous feeling of ‘not being well’
Here’s a shocker, Incandescent light bulbs produce shedloads of Near Infra Red especially Tungsten Halogens. (TH)
And How Many people have always said that they ‘prefer’ TH lighting but can’t exactly say why apart from ‘the colour’
Yes it is the colour, but it’s the colour they cannot see – the NIR coming off them making Melatonin, boosting their Mitochondria, burning away toxic blood-sugar and filling every cell within 3″ of their skin surface with potent anti-oxidant

But fluorescent and LED bulbs don’t make Near Infra Red.
It’s the Energy Efficient Lighting that makes the building/people sick. Those things are a deal with the devil – they may ‘Save The Planet’ but they trash the people.

Meanwhile back on topic:
Quote:”Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate changepossibly maybe and the Weasel Word in there tells us all that we;re reading yet more hysterical garbage.

Let’s correct that shall we.
FIFY:”All of known human pathogenic diseases is aggravated by Vitamin C deficiency
(and a crap diet revolving around sugar)

What about the Metabolic Diseases – 88% of all folks in the US are suffering from one or more – what’s Climate Change got to say about that.

Or more to the point, what do the doctors say?
We know exactly what the doctors say:
Look here dumbass, take this pill to cover over the symptoms and here’s my hyper-inflated bill/invoice. Come back in one month’s time for more of the same by which time I may have a more expensive pill for you to swallow.

Really strangely, isn’t that exactly what Climate Scientists say?

August 9, 2022 2:29 am

Over half of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change
AINO authors (Alarmists In Name Only)!

They should have said: “All of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change”.
… or at least “Over 97% of known human pathogenic diseases can be aggravated by climate change”

August 9, 2022 2:31 am

Our ancestors adapted and prospered, just like we will.

Those ancestors had one big advantage not so widespread today. Their governments were not deliberately trying to kill them off.

dodgy geezer
August 9, 2022 2:46 am

ALL humans (with a few religious exceptions) die.

All humans perform a variety of activities during their lives.

Therefore ALL activities are associated in some way with dying.. ..

Michael Ozanne
August 9, 2022 3:49 am

One of the risk factors identified in the study is the risk warm weather could encourage more water sports.”

Going to the beach gave the puritans an aneurism about Covid transmission, but..

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/no-covid-outbreaks-beaches-876071

Speed
August 9, 2022 4:22 am

This is why people retire to Florida — they like being sick. And shoveling snow. And falling on ice.

Bob B.
August 9, 2022 4:26 am

“How did our ancestors finally control Malaria? … Our ancestors drained the worst swamps
Now there’s a lesson worth learning, drain the swamp!

Michael Ozanne
Reply to  Bob B.
August 10, 2022 4:55 am

Well in the Mediterranean the progression was

Don’t live near the swamp
Take your Quinine 18th C onwards
Mosquito nets (1857 onwards)
Plant Eucalypts and drain swamps 19th C onwards
Wack the Anopheles to extinction with oil and DDT 1940’s ’50’s
Don’t catch Malaria locally (since then) expand tourist industry…

Trying to Play Nice
August 9, 2022 5:27 am

I don’t know about these clowns, but I get sick much more often in the winter than in the summer.

Jack
August 9, 2022 6:54 am

Cold temperatures are much better for health !
The average life expectancy of the male population currently living in Siberia is 53 years.
The watermelon/warmunists are trying to convince us that the Gulag camps indeed were holidays resorts.

Jack
August 9, 2022 7:02 am

Global warming is good for the Great Barrier’s health:
Great Barrier Reef records highest coral cover – TheBlaze

Olen
August 9, 2022 7:47 am

Another scare tactic.

August 9, 2022 7:53 am

Lack of clean water and proper sewer systems is what cause human diseases to become deadly. Reliable electricity is needed for these to work all the time. These people have no idea what happens in the real world

MarkW2
August 9, 2022 8:05 am

Is this, seriously, a peer-reviewed paper?! Have these ‘scientists’ genuinely spent time and effort putting this together?!

It’s absolutely u-n-b-e-l-i-e-v-a-b-l-e what counts as ‘science’ these days. Richard Feynman must be turning in his grave.

Please can somebody wake me up and tell me I’ve been dreaming about a Monty Python sketch…

Reply to  MarkW2
August 9, 2022 12:17 pm

The Archangels know him as ‘Revolving Feynmann’ these days.

Auto.

Indur Goklany
August 9, 2022 9:14 am

Totally divorced from reality. If the world is warmer why are we living longer, healthier and richer with the march of time?

Of course, this state of affairs may not continue if we spend — note I said “spend” not “invest” our resources and human ingenuity on solving non-existent problems such as non-existent catastrophic climate change.

August 9, 2022 9:37 am

Remember, only government approved NGO’s and workers can save you and the earth from climate change. You can’t do anything without government programs, it’s certain death. Government and NGO workers are standing by and eager to assist you. Send in all your money and we’ll get back to you soon.

August 9, 2022 9:38 am

Here’s another swamp that was drained. (Malaria used to be a problem in northwest Ohio.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Black_Swamp

August 9, 2022 11:00 am

It is well known that climate affects disease. When it is cold, people die from a variety of pathogens.

August 9, 2022 5:26 pm

Warmer weather might help ticks and mosquitoes to survive milder winters, but warmer weather also helps animals which prey on ticks and mosquitoes to survive.”

Book the eleven authors involved in this farce a trip to Canada’s Northern Boreal forest for June through August next year.

They’re to camp in tents, no houses, cabins, sheds, barn stalls or anything with hard floors and walls.
They’re to do without fossil fuels entirely. Banning anything made by/from fossil fuels.

Those dimwits ought to find the trip very educational, especially about how abundant mosquitos and ticks are where it gets cold every night.

It might, just might wake them up to how much of their life is dependent upon fossil fuels and that their alleged dangerous warming is minutely negligible in rural areas.

Reply to  ATheoK
August 9, 2022 5:46 pm

The alleged study is riddled with nonsense.

Climatic hazards also facilitated the contact between people and pathogens by moving people closer to pathogens. Heatwaves, for instance, by increasing recreational water-related activities, have been associated with rising cases of several waterborne diseases such as Vibrio-associated infections”

“Increasing recreational water-related activities”?
I assume these fools used somebody’s estimates for how many…

Here in Virginia, pools might open on Memorial Day (Last weekend in May) and close on Labor day, very early September.
Imagine that, all of that danger caused by the lucky few who go play in water during the roughly 90 days of warm weather…

Such danger as they imagine! Perhaps they should stick with Fruit-Loops for breakfast.

Arw
August 9, 2022 8:19 pm

So if I move from Minneapolis to Florida I will more likely than not,die. Certainly a change in climate

August 10, 2022 3:34 am

So it’s good news then. Half of those diseases are NOT aggravated by Climate Change. Come on CC, Let’s have more CC. Unless you are half full glass pessimist of course

August 11, 2022 8:13 am

virtually every disease is more likely to kill you if your core body temp is low

this is why you run a fever to fight off infection, instead of telling all your mitochondria to stop driving SUVs