New study finds unexpected factor driving increase in food-borne illness: 'A significant role'

Warming global temperatures are making it easier for salmonella to spread, according to new research. 

What's happening?

The University of Surrey-led study found that changing weather conditions like warmer temperatures and higher humidity were driving salmonella outbreaks. The Weather Channel summarized the paper, which used 16 years of data from the UK Health Security Agency and compared it with more than a dozen weather factors.

"The study highlights how weather plays a significant role in salmonella outbreaks and provides a valuable tool for predicting future risks and tailoring interventions, particularly in the context of climate change," lead author Laura Gonzalez Villeta told the news outlet.

Why is this study important?

Salmonella is a foodborne illness that can lead to symptoms like diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, strains can sometimes lead to infection in urine, blood, bones, joints, or the nervous system, resulting in severe disease.

But salmonella is not the only health threat on the rise due to an overheating planet. For instance, the research team previously linked changing global weather patterns to dangerous diarrheal illness.

Plus, extreme weather like drought, heatwaves, and flooding across the globe are creating favorable conditions for mosquitoes to thrive and could help spread viruses like Zika and malaria to higher latitudes and altitudes, according to the World Mosquito Program.

In fact, the organization called 2024 the worst year on record for global dengue cases, and 50 locally acquired cases of the disease popped up in Florida following Hurricanes Milton and Helene, thanks to the standing water that turned parts of the state into a mosquito breeding haven.

While weather has always existed, The Weather Channel explains that an overheating planet is leading to more extreme weather.

What's being done about extreme weather?

We can't stop natural disasters from occurring, but we can try to reduce their impact on communities by curbing the overheating of our planet. The best way to do this is to reduce our dependence on dirty energy.

Do you worry about the quality of the air inside your home? Yes — often 😬 Yes — but only sometimes 😕 Only when it's bad outside 😮‍💨 No — I never do 😌 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Tokyo, which is requiring most new buildings to have solar panels, is among a number of cities that are helping to address the problem. Likewise, a New York law will require all Lyfts and Ubers to be EVs by the year 2030.

You can help by changing the way you get around — walk more, ride your bike, and take public transit when possible.

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