The Impact of Climate Change on Trends in Vector-Borne Diseases

This thesis analyzes the implications of climate change for insect-borne diseases in humans, focusing especially on mosquitoes and ticks as the two most common vectors. I first introduce relevant background on climate change, arthropod vectors, and the diseases they carry, and the significance of vector-borne diseases for human health. I report on current knowledge of spatial and temporal trends in most common mosquito and tick-borne diseases in the United States, with a detailed table provided in Appendix A. I then review how climatic variability is anticipated to cause profound changes in vector life cycles. In particular, the rise in global ambient temperatures is likely to be the primary driver of arthropod proliferation, although they are also sensitive to changes in humidity, carbon dioxide levels, and water levels. As regions warm, arthropods will be able to survive where they were not able to previously, potentially infecting more individuals. The incidence of several vector-borne diseases in the United States is predicted to increase in multiple states as climate change progresses. The World Health Organization predicts that in North America, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever and Lyme disease will become the primary vector-borne diseases that are increasingly common (Githeko, et. al, 2000).