How Climate Change is Fueling the Rise of Mosquito and Tick-Borne Diseases

As Climate change accelerates, the United States is facing an alarming rise in vector-borne diseases such as West Nile, Lyme disease, and dengue fever. These diseases are transmitted to humans by vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. In the summer and fall of 2021, West Nile virus spread rapidly through Arizona’s Maricopa County, with over 1,700 cases reported and 127 deaths. This outbreak was the largest in the US since the virus first emerged in the country in 1999. With the nation facing a far larger public health crisis with the COVID-19 pandemic, the West Nile outbreak went almost unnoticed.

Source: CBS 58/Youtube

Experts warn that the US is not prepared for a potentially devastating surge in infections. Research on vector-borne diseases and disease surveillance is underfunded by federal and local governments, leaving the country vulnerable to outbreaks. The public health response to diseases transmitted to humans by vectors has been muted, perhaps because the number of reported cases has been relatively low, and the public is largely unaware of the health risks such diseases pose. However, with Climate change accelerating, the ranges of many disease-carrying species are shifting, leading to a sharp increase in infections.

Tick-borne diseases comprise the largest share of vector-borne diseases by far, with over 80 percent of reported cases caused by ticks. Longer summers, rising temperatures, and the expanding ranges of tick species such as the black-legged tick and the lone star tick are leading to an increased chance of human exposure to pathogens over a larger geographic area. The range of the black-legged tick, which transmits Lyme disease and other diseases, expanded greatly over two decades, with the number of counties with established populations more than doubling from 1996 to 2015.

Milder year-round temperatures mean that some mosquitoes may overwinter or emerge earlier in the spring. In the case of West Nile, this affects not just the mosquitoes carrying the virus but the virus itself, which replicates faster in warm temperatures. “So the mosquitoes actually are more infectious to people when they bite them,” said Benjamin Beard, the deputy director of the CDC division’s.

A loss of biodiversity has been found to lead to a greater abundance of species that host zoonotic pathogens. In the case of Lyme disease, spread by ticks, changes in land use and habitat fragmentation have increased the incidence of the disease. And with increased development of forests, wetlands, and other natural areas, humans are coming into greater contact with animals, increasing the opportunity for exposure to such pathogens.

Urbanization is also a factor driving range expansion in species of mosquitoes and ticks. Mosquitoes that thrive in newer, urban, expanding environments are likely to be the ones that pose a particular threat to humans. With the expanding ranges of disease-carrying vector species bringing them into new areas, healthcare providers may be unfamiliar with the risks they pose and unprepared to diagnose and treat the illnesses they cause.

Addressing vector-borne disease involves formidable challenges, including a lack of vaccines for diseases found in the continental United States; the difficulty in diagnosing some diseases in their early stages; and the sheer number of emerging pathogens. Experts emphasize that sustained funding in local vector control and surveillance is critical to looking for threats before they become huge causes for concern for local public health.

As individuals, we can take steps to reduce our exposure to disease-carrying vectors by using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and Pants, and checking for ticks after spending time outdoors. It’s also essential to Support sustained funding for local vector control and surveillance by contacting our elected officials and advocating for greater investment in public health initiatives.

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