Mosquito-borne disease research featured ahead of climate conference
University of Florida medical geographer Sadie Ryan, Ph.D. is among the international scientists whose work is featured in the forthcoming “10 New Insights in Climate Science” report, which will be presented at the United Nations COP30 Climate Conference on Nov. 10.
Ryan’s research, which examines how climate change influences the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, contributed to a newly generated global map illustrating where shifting temperatures and rainfall patterns are making conditions increasingly suitable for disease transmission.
“A lot of my research is about how vector-borne diseases are going to move as the climate changes, and what that means for where and when transmission can happen,” Ryan said. “Climate change isn’t the only driver of dengue’s spread, but we are seeing the bleeding edge of climate shifting those distributions, where it’s warm enough for long enough and wet enough at the right times for outbreaks to take off.”
