FRIDAY, Jan. 19, 2024 -- People are more prone to coming down with a common gastrointestinal infection on hot, humid days, new research shows. “This information is invaluable, as illnesses such as campylobacteriosis not only cause discomfort to individuals, but have enormous societal impacts, with people having to call in sick to work and puts extra pressure on health services across the world," said study lead author Dr. Gianni Lo Iacono. He's a senior lecturer in biostatistics and epidemiology in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey. While most of these illnesses are mild, infections can prove fatal to small children, the frail elderly and people with compromised immune systems. In the new study, the Surrey team analyzed data on over 1 million cases of campylobacteriosis occurring in England and Wales over a period of 20 years. But cases of infection began to rise with every 9-degree Fahrenheit rise in temperature over 46 degrees, the research showed. As well, cases began to rise when humidity reached levels between 75 and 80 percent. As summer days lengthened to exceed 10 hours, cases of Campylobacteriosis also rose, the study showed. The study was published Jan. 18 in the journal PLOS Computational Biology.
“What we have found is that rising temperatures, humidity and increased day length are associated with the spread of campylobacteriosis," Lo Iacono said in a university news release. "We do not fully understand why this may be. It could be that warm weather increases the survival and spread of pathogenic bacteria [so the weather causes the disease] or alternatively it could be people’s behavior and how they socialize during such periods." What is clear, however, is that "climate change not only has an environmental impact, but has the potential to negatively affect our health by aiding the spread of infectious diseases," he said. Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
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