Changes in climate can increase infectious disease risk in animals, researchers found—with the possibility that these diseases could spread to humans, they warn. The study, conducted by scientists at the University of Notre Dame, University of South Florida and University of Wisconsin-Madison, supports a phenomenon known as ‘thermal mismatch hypothesis,’ which is the idea that the greatest risk for infectious disease in cold climate-adapted animals—such as polar bears—occurs as temperatures rise, while the risk for animals living in warmer climates occurs as temperatures fall. The hypothesis proposes that smaller organisms such as pathogens function across a wider range of temperatures than larger organisms, such as hosts or animals.

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/