By JONATHAN CHADWICK FOR MAILONLINE
From the unprecedented heatwave in 2022 to the deadly Storm Eowyn just this month, climate change is already wreaking havoc on Britain’s weather.
Now, a study has revealed that humans could be next in the firing line.
Scientists from the University of Surrey say that climate change could spark outbreaks of diarrhoea in Britain.
In their study, the team found a clear link between warmer conditions and more salmonella cases in England and Wales.
Symptoms of salmonella infections include diarrhoea and stomach cramps, as well as vomiting and fever.
Infection is usually caused by eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry, and eggs or egg products or by drinking unpasteurized milk.
However, the scientists now say there’s increasing evidence weather plays a ‘crucial role’ in the transmission of the bacteria.
‘Temperature, humidity and day length [are the] key weather combination driving salmonellosis,’ warn the authors.
‘However, the relationship between salmonellosis occurrence and climatic factors is complex and multifaceted,’ they add in their study, published in the Journal of Infection.
The study compared UK Health Security Agency data of confirmed salmonella cases in England and Wales between 2000 and 2016 with Met Office weather data from the same period.
Results showed a clear link between the spread of the bacteria and multiple weather trends that are linked with climate change.
A key weather factor linked with increased salmonellosis cases, regardless of geographical location, was warmer air temperatures – above 50°F (10°C).
Other correlated factors were relative humidity, reduced precipitation and a dewpoint temperature between 44-50°F (7-10°C).
Another factor was longer day lengths – especially between 12 and 15 hours of sunlight per day.
Climate change is not believed to affect how much sunlight we’ll get per day, but more sunlight does give the bacteria better conditions to grow.
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