title: Effects of climate change on the occurrence and distribution of livestock diseases.
abstract: The planet's mean air and ocean temperatures have been rising over the last century because of increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These changes have substantial effects on the epidemiology of infectious diseases. We describe direct and indirect processes linking climate change and infectious diseases in livestock with reference to specific case studies. Some of the studies are used to show a positive association between temperature and expansion of the geographical ranges of arthropod vectors (e.g. Culicoides imicola, which transmits bluetongue virus) while others are used to illustrate an opposite trend (e.g. tsetse flies that transmit a range of trypanosome parasites in sub-Saharan Africa). We further describe a positive association between extreme events: droughts and El Niño/southern oscillation (ENSO) weather patterns and Rift Valley fever outbreaks in East Africa and some adaptation practices used to mitigate the impacts of climate change that may increase risk of exposure to infectious pathogens. We conclude by outlining mitigation and adaptation measures that can be used specifically in the livestock sector to minimize the impacts of climate change-associated livestock diseases.
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya. Electronic address: b.bett@cgiar.org.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bett
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Department of Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Private Bag, Kabete, 00625 Kangemi, Kenya.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kiunga
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; College of Health Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, P. O. Box 62000, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gachohi
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Medical Research, P.O. Box - 482, Tabora, Tanzania.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sindato
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mbotha
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 7054, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lindahl
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grace
mesh_terms: D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D000818:Animals; D057231:Climate Change; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D058751:Livestock
keywords: Climate change; Livestock diseases; Mitigation and adaptation measures