How will vectors of infectious disease be affected?
As rainfall patterns change and temperature increases, conditions that support vectors of infectious disease will shift in space, potentially spreading into regions where human populations have low, or no, immunity. In urban centers of developing nations, high population density and poor sanitation practices can accelerate infection rates. As temperatures increase, tropical disease vectors will likely extend to temperate regions as well. An outbreak of chinkungunya in Italy in 2007 was brought about by the entry of tiger mosquitoes (shown in this picture from the Centers for Disease Control), which are originally from Southeast Asia and are also potential carriers of dengue fever.
