Uh-Oh: Mosquitoes and Other Disease Carriers Thrive in Soaring Temperatures
America’s first in-country malaria transmissions in decades hint at rising risk of vector-borne diseases
This article is part of a Wise & Well Special Report: Extreme Heat and Human Health.
Rising global temperatures have put more than 10,000 species in danger of extinction. But there is one group that thrives in higher temperatures. Mosquitoes love the heat. So do most other disease vectors like ticks, flies, fleas, and lice.
A warmer climate allows these pests to reach territories that were impossible to survive in before. The heat also boosts their metabolism and feeding activity (a.k.a. how many people they bite).
Global warming is creating better conditions and a wider spread for one of humanity’s main killers. Mosquitoes are responsible for more than 700,000 deaths around the world every year, with malaria responsible for the vast majority of them. And, this year the United States had its first locally acquired malaria cases in decades. In June, the CDC announced four cases had been detected in Florida and one in Texas. The last time this happened was in 2003, and this time around it has experts seriously worried.
