Study: Global warming drives spread of diseases

Climate change is exacerbating the spread of many pathogens, according to a study. A team of researchers from the University of Hawaii concluded in a review paper that 58 percent of ailments caused by pathogens could be exacerbated by climate change. This happens through warming itself, but also through extreme weather phenomena such as droughts, floods or heat waves. The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, was based on a list of 375 diseases worldwide that are triggered by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, but also plant pollen or fungi.