Climate Change and Vector-Borne Diseases Among Canines

In this article, the relationship between climate change and vector-borne diseases are examined. The vector-borne diseases Dirofliaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens are tracked over 15 years in Europe. The purpose of this article is to understand if climate change affects the number of infections among canines.

Climate change is proven to affect animals and people alike in various ways. For example, climate change results in physiologic stress, or injury.  Global climate change has also led to the increase of vector-borne diseases that are a result of haematophagous antropods, which are cold-blooded insects that feed on the blood of animals. The prominence of vector-borne diseases are closely related to climate change because of the fact that they are cold-blooded animals and thrive best in warmer temperatures.   

Dirofilaria is a vector-borne disease that is mainly present in dogs in Europe. Dirofilaria immitits occurs in the pulmonary arteries and right heart chambers and causes heartworm diseases in dogs. Dirofilaria repens mainly occurs in sucotaneous tissue, or under the skin. The hosts and vectors of Dirofilaria are mosquitoes of the Culicidae family. Dirofliaria is present above 14 degrees Celsius which is in the warmer temperatures of summer and predominantly in July, however, temperatures are rising year-round.

Linear Kriging fuction of a Geographical Information System was used to ttrack the amount of Drofilaria generations. The daily temperature was measured over 15 years to conduct the study. The study demonstrated that outbreaks of Dirofliaria peaked in the Summer, between June and September. July also had the highest temperatures that were suitable for Diorfilaria. The increase of climate change may also lead to the spread of vector-borne diseases to from Mediterranean countries toward northern and eastern ones.

 In this article, the relationship between climate change and vector-borne diseases are examined. The vector-borne diseases Dirofliaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens are tracked over 15 years in Europe. The purpose of this article is to understand if climate change affects the number of infections among canines.

Climate change is proven to affect animals and people alike in various ways. For example, climate change results in physiologic stress, or injury.  Global climate change has also led to the increase of vector-borne diseases that are a result of haematophagous antropods, which are cold-blooded insects that feed on the blood of animals. The prominence of vector-borne diseases are closely related to climate change because of the fact that they are cold-blooded animals and thrive best in warmer temperatures.   

Dirofilaria is a vector-borne disease that is mainly present in dogs in Europe. Dirofilaria immitits occurs in the pulmonary arteries and right heart chambers and causes heartworm diseases in dogs. Dirofilaria repens mainly occurs in sucotaneous tissue, or under the skin. The hosts and vectors of Dirofilaria are mosquitoes of the Culicidae family. Dirofliaria is present above 14 degrees Celsius which is in the warmer temperatures of summer and predominantly in July, however, temperatures are rising year-round.

Linear Kriging fuction of a Geographical Information System was used to ttrack the amount of Drofilaria generations. The daily temperature was measured over 15 years to conduct the study. The study demonstrated that outbreaks of Dirofliaria peaked in the Summer, between June and September. July also had the highest temperatures that were suitable for Diorfilaria. The increase of climate change may also lead to the spread of vector-borne diseases to from Mediterranean countries toward northern and eastern ones.