ARBO viruses and Global Warming

The effects of global warming are far-reaching, yet in our rather unfortunate political ~climate~, it is receiving little recognition as a problem on the rise. The article I found is largely focused on anthropomorphizing the earth and comparing it to an ailing patient whose temperature is climbing incrementally. In a rather interesting analogy, I thought "Hmm, if we are causing global warming by hijacking and using earth's resources in a profligate way, we MUST be considered viruses!!" However, the article mentioned something a bit more relevant and brought up the fact that global warming may be contributing the rise in incidence of conditions associated with ARBO viruses. 

According to a former environmental director of the CDC, the incidence of dengue fever has doubled every decade since 1990 with 58.4 million cases and 10,000 deaths in 2013. This could probably be tied to the fact that warmer weather for prolonged periods of time and changes in climate may allow mosquitoes that transmit the virus to live in more places and bite for longer. A similar effect could be seen in ticks, another arthropod vector. This article further establishes how disease is a function of the host, pathogen, and the environment, making environmental consciousness a necessary measure in ensuring that human disease is mitigated. 
-Andrew


Source: https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/10/30/science/ap-us-sci-climate-health.html






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