Global warming already has spurred an uptick in extreme weather events, and now scientists are warning that it could lead to more heat-related illnesses and infectious diseases, CNN reported.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation found that global warming will lead to heat-related illnesses and deaths, particularly in children, older people, those with chronic health conditions and those from poor or underserved communities.
Heat-related illnesses include heat cramps, painful muscle spasms caused by water and salt depletion; heat exhaustion, associated with dehydration; and heat stroke, which occurs when the body's is unable to regulate its own temperature.
A different study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation found that higher temperatures could lead to new infectious diseases springing up, as microbes, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, adapt to warmer climates.
While our bodies provide natural defenses against infections, including the ability to maintain a stable, warm body temperature, some fungi species can adapt to higher temperatures and produce diseases that will break through the natural defenses. This could also happen with viruses, bacteria and parasites, study authors said.
The World Health Organization listed health risks linked to climate change as one of the top urgent health challenges of the next decade.
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