Monash University Researchers Highlight Climate Change and Non-Climate Factors in Mosquito-Borne Disease Trends
Researchers from Monash University have published a review in Science Advances examining the complex factors influencing the transmission of malaria and dengue. The study, led by Dr. Toby Cumming, a research fellow in the Health and Climate Initiative, emphasizes that while climate change expands areas where Anopheles and Aedes mosquitoes can thrive due to increased temperatures and altered rainfall, climate alone does not fully explain disease trends. Over the last century, malaria rates have declined despite warming, largely due to mosquito control interventions and drug therapies. Conversely, dengue rates have risen, partly due to increasing urbanization favoring Aedes mosquitoes and the lack of available therapeutics. Globally, there are nearly 300 million cases of malaria and almost 400 million dengue infections annually. The review underscores the need for a coordinated approach to address both climate and non-climate factors in preventing and controlling these diseases.
