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production, as well as disturbances in their degradation, can has significant socio-economic implications due to the deve-
result in the accumulation of harmful substances in food in lopment of diseases that burden the healthcare system and
concentrations exceeding allowable limits, increasing the reduce human productivity .
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risk of nutritional, health, and developmental disorders. On
the other hand, due to increased rainfall and floods, there
is increased spraying against mosquitoes. Increased use of Impact of climate change on the
organochlorine insecticides to control mosquitoes, as well occurrence of infectious diseases
as preparations containing them - solutions of xylene and
petroleum, emulsion concentrates, water-stable powders, Climate change contributes to an increased incidence of
granules, aerosols, tobacco smoke, air fresheners, and lo- water- and food-borne infectious diseases, vector-borne di-
tions, leads to increased fetal mortality, growth disorders seases, parasitic infections, and zoonoses. Climate change
in children, and reproductive development . Women and can directly increase the incidence of waterborne diseases
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children living in vulnerable areas due to the accumulation due to rising water temperatures (which enhance microbial
of chemicals or the creation and accumulation of waste and reproduction) and the increased intensity and frequency of
wastewater in cases of heavy rainfall and/or floods may be precipitation, leading to floods due to inadequate drainage
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exposed to chemicals, heavy metals, and persistent orga- capacity . Pathogen mobilization and surface water pollu-
nic compounds that enter drinking water or surface waters. tion most commonly occur due to sewage pipe ruptures
One of the toxic metals whose concentration increases in during floods, and the reduction of water flows during sum-
the environment due to climate change is inorganic arsenic, mer months increases the potential for bacterial and che-
which is carcinogenic, affects the immune system, and acu- mical water contamination, along with the emergence and
te poisoning can lead to a lethal outcome. More than 100 growth of harmful algae. Decreased availability of water for
million people are exposed to arsenic from contaminated routine hygiene, also brings the danger of the emergence
groundwater and industrial emissions, and inorganic and and spread of infectious "hand hygiene diseases“. Water can
methylated forms of arsenic cause damage to fetal develop- transmit viruses that cause gastroenteritis, bacteria that
ment and increase the number of spontaneous abortions. cause cholera, amoebas, protozoa that cause cryptospori-
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are found in toxic waste diosis, parasites that cause schistosomiasis, and in Europe,
that can be disrupted during natural disasters, and expo- epidemics of leptospirosis are becoming more common
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sure to PCBs is associated with irreversible cognitive deficits after floods . Climate change, especially extreme weather
in children. PCBs, as well as biotoxins, asbestos, benzene, events, disrupts food production complicates transportati-
most pesticides, components of fire retardants, and other on, inadequate storage, and reduces food quality control.
chemicals, act as immunotoxic agents, and changes in the All of this, along with the rise in air temperature contribu-
immune system during development can reduce the immu- ting to better microbial reproduction and the emergence
ne capacity to defend against infections and increase the of poor sanitary conditions, contributes to the increase in
risk of many diseases, including cancer . Vulnerable periods the incidence of foodborne illnesses. The estimated risk of
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of human development include gametogenesis, preimplan- salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis increases by 2.5-6%
tation, the fetal period, and early childhood, so exposure for every degree rise in air temperature, with an estimated
to harmful environmental agents during these periods can increase in frequency in Europe of 6.000 new cases annually
lead to genetic mutations and epigenetic changes, resulting associated with climate change 2, 11 .
in the development of deficits, developmental disorders, The ecology of vector-borne diseases is complex, and
and the manifestation of diseases later in adulthood. It has weather conditions and climate significantly influence the
been shown that some chemical substances act directly on transmission cycles and incidence of these diseases in hu-
DNA, causing mutations either in germ cells or during em- mans. Changes in temperature and precipitation directly
bryogenesis, resulting in the development of diseases or affect the interaction between vectors and hosts, indirectly
conditions that increase the risk of diseases such as obesity. leading to changes in ecosystems (humidity, salt content in
Chemical substances also lead to epigenetic changes that the air, water temperature, and acidity) and the presence of
disrupt the interpretation of DNA, leading to functional di- new species in a particular area. Climate change leads to an
sorders without damaging the DNA itself. Epigenetic chan- increase in transmissible diseases transmitted by mosquito-
ges are considered to be the cause of many diseases and es and ticks as a result of changes in the geographical area
developmental disorders. It has been found that maternal where these vectors live, the extension of their activity sea-
malnutrition is associated with fetal programming of the son, and an increase in their numbers . Mosquitoes thrive
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risk for diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, in higher temperatures and high humidity, which may po-
and metabolic syndrome, which occur in adulthood. Chan- tentially increase the risk of diseases such as malaria in Eu-
ges in diet, as well as intrauterine exposure of the fetus to rope. On the other hand, long periods of drought can reduce
chemical substances and biotoxins due to climate change, the transmission of malaria through mosquitoes. However,
can affect the health of future generations through the oc- the reduction of drinking water sources during droughts
currence of epigenetic changes both during pregnancy and can lead to increased animal contact, thereby facilitating
before conception. All of this can affect life expectancy and
the greater transmission of diseases among animals .
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REVIEW PAPER Galenika Medical Journal, 2024; 3(9):54-61. 57