AI Summary
This article discusses how climate change has played a significant role in the emergence of West Nile virus in Europe. Researchers have shown that the virus's spatial expansion in the continent has been influenced by changing climate conditions. The study highlights an increase in the areas where the virus can thrive ecologically, as well as a rise in the human population at risk of exposure. This research underscores the importance of addressing climate change in mitigating the impacts of emerging infectious diseases like West Nile virus.
Researchers demonstrate the contribution of climate change to the spatial expansion of West Nile virus in Europe, a virus that constitutes a new public health threat in the continent. Their findings highlight a notable increase in the area ecologically suitable for the virus circulation since the beginning of last century and an increase in the human population at risk of exposure, due in part to climate change.