[font face=Serif][font size=5]Exotic diseases from warmer climates gain foothold in the U.S.[/font]

Umair Irfan, E&E reporter
ClimateWire: Monday, June 4, 2012

[font size=3]Diseases once thought to be rare or exotic in the United States are gaining a presence and getting new attention from medical researchers who are probing how immigration, limited access to care and the impacts of climate change are influencing their spread.

Illnesses like schistosomiasis, Chagas disease and dengue are endemic in warmer, wetter and poorer areas of the world, often closer to the equator. According to the World Health Organization, almost 1 billion people are afflicted with more than one tropical disease.

Caused by bacteria, parasites and viruses, these diseases are spread through bites, excrement and dirty water stemming from substandard housing and sanitation. Consequently, the United States has been largely isolated from them.

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Volatile weather and warming temperatures also influence neglected tropical diseases and their vectors. "Anything that impacts climate is likely to have a significant impact on disease incidence," said C. Ben Beard, associate director for climate change at NCEZID.

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