Climate Change and Human Health Impacts in the United States: An Update on the Results of the U.S. National Assessment

Ebi, Kristie L.; Mills, David M.; Smith, Joel B.; Grambsch, Anne

Only a limited number of recent studies address the potential response of vector-and rodent-borne illnesses to climate change in the United States. These studies focus almost entirely on the possible impacts on host populations and generally support the findings of the HSA. Specifically, McLean (2001) and Subak (2003) concluded that conditions associated with climate variability and change could increase tick populations and the incidence of Lyme disease. Zeil (2004) reported an association between the increased climate variability associated with the El Niño events and rodentborne outbreaks of hantavirus. However, Kovats et al. (2001) and Zeil (2004) cautioned that with natural reservoirs in animal populations, the emergence or reemergence of diseases involves complex interactions. Therefore, care should be taken when attributing an increased incidence of vector-and rodent-borne illnesses to climate variability and change. These cautions highlight the continued need to improve understanding of the population dynamics of the various vector and rodent populations that can transmit illnesses to humans.