WORLD (Enmaeya News) - December 3, 2025

A new international study revealed that climate change is driving a global rise in infectious diseases, such as malaria, dengue, and tuberculosis.

The study, led by The Global Health Network at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Medicine, revealed that this increase is driven in large part by climate change, inequality, and antimicrobial resistance.

Published on 2 December 2025 in Nature Scientific Reports, the study surveyed 3,752 health professionals and researchers across 151 countries, one of the largest of its kind, with 86.9% of respondents from low- and middle-income nations.

Experts identified malaria and dengue as the fastest-growing threats globally, followed closely by tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

The study highlights three principal factors driving this trend. Rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and extreme weather are expanding habitats for disease vectors such as mosquitoes, creating more breeding grounds and increasing the risk of outbreaks.

Socioeconomic inequality exacerbates vulnerability to infection, as poor living conditions and limited access to health services leave millions unprotected.

At the same time, growing antimicrobial resistance undermines health systems' ability to control and suppress endemic infections, allowing diseases to spread more easily.

Researchers warn that the result could be a “slow‑burn humanitarian disaster” rather than a sudden pandemic.

The report calls for immediate, coordinated global action, combining climate mitigation, social equity, and strengthened health infrastructure.

Recommendations include increased funding for diagnostics and surveillance, support for antimicrobial-resistance research, and equitable health partnerships to enable local leadership in affected regions.

As climate and health become increasingly inseparable, experts caution that delaying action risks turning manageable diseases into a global crisis.