1International Medical School (IMS), Management & Science University (MSU), Malaysia
2Post Graduate Centre (PGC), Management & Science University (MSU), Malaysia
3Faculty of Medicine, Lincoln University College, Malaysia
4Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Malaysia
*Corresponding Author Mohammed Abdelfatah Alhoot Senior Lecturer of Medical Microbiology Medical Microbiology Unit, International Medical School (IMS), Management & Science University, 40100, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia. Email: malhoot@hotmail.com; malhoot@msu.edu.my
Online published on 30 August, 2019.
Global warming has its impact on infectious diseases by effecting the pathogen, host and transmission. This study aimed to assess the effect of climate change by measuring the incidence of certain infectious diseases.
This cross-sectional study was conducted first by evaluating the evidence from the recent post of association between global warming and incidents of infectious diseases. The second by reviewing the previous data of emerging infectious disease associated with global warming.
Data analysis showed that the minimum temperature was highly correlated with dengue, leptospirosis, food poisoning, tuberculosis, and hand, foot and mouth diseases with (P-value <0.05). Heavy rainfall is only highly correlated with malaria showing (P-value 0.002). Maximum temperature is highly correlated with Leptospirosis (P-value <0.05). The minimum temperature was the most important predictor that affect the climate change as it is the main variable that demonstrating the significant result among the other variables (P-value = 0.003) with about 36% for all infectious diseases in Malaysia.
Climate change brings out new challenges in controlling infectious diseases. Adaptation strategies must include all important stakeholders with a robust regional collaboration to avoid and react to cross-boundary health emergencies.
Climate change, Temperature, Rainfall, Humidity, Infectious Diseases, Malaysia
