Waterborne diseases and climate change.

Climate change significantly increases waterborne disease risks by altering environmental conditions that affect pathogen transmission, threatening global health progress.

• Why it matters: Reducing waterborne diseases remains critical, especially for vulnerable populations like young children, but climate change jeopardizes these gains by changing pathogen dynamics and transmission pathways.
• What they did: The review examines how meteorological factors influenced by climate change—such as temperature, rainfall, and flooding—impact waterborne pathogens, using evidence to project future disease risks and vulnerabilities.
• The result: Understanding these impacts enables development of targeted interventions like vaccination, sanitation improvements, and surveillance, helping to mitigate future disease burdens amid changing climate conditions.