Climate Change and Infectious Diseases in Dermatology.

Abstract

Human activities have led to climate change, resulting in global warming, ocean warming, and more frequent extreme weather events (EWEs). Each of these has the potential to amplify infectious diseases with skin manifestations. Alterations in the skin microbiome due to rising temperatures and humidity may increase infection risk. Global warming has led to expanding geographic ranges of vector-borne diseases. Warming waters have similarly increased the risk of waterborne diseases. EWEs are associated with increased incidence of cutaneous infections. Land-use change, both a cause and effect of climate change, increases the risk of zoonotic spillover.