Climate change boosts dengue

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By Science. 

Excerpt: A global rise in cases of dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, is partly the result of climate change, according to a study presented last week at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Analyzing data from 21 countries in Asia and the Americas where dengue is endemic, a team found a relationship between dengue incidence and temperature, in part because rising mercury favors the disease-carrying mosquito in many parts of the world. Climate change has already caused dengue cases to rise by 19%, the study found, and if temperatures continue to increase as projected, the next 25 years could bring an additional 40% to 60% spike, with parts of Bolivia, Peru, Mexico, and Colombia at the highest risk. Some places could even see cases double. Between 100 million and 400 million dengue infections occur annually, the World Health Organization estimates. Many are asymptomatic or mild, but dengue can cause severe pain, fever, rashes, and nausea, and is sometimes fatal. In January, the research team posted a preprint describing their findings.... 

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