Sustained Heatwaves Driving Increased Risk of Infectious Diseases Across Europe, ECDC Warns
Key Insights
The ECDC warns that prolonged higher temperatures are creating conditions for increased spread of foodborne diseases, vibriosis (search), mosquito-borne illnesses, and tick-borne diseases across Europe.
Mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue (search), chikungunya (search), and West Nile virus (search) are becoming an increasing public health concern as invasive mosquitoes expand into previously unaffected regions.
More than half of EU member states have national climate adaptation plans, but dedicated cross-sector measures addressing public health impacts of extreme weather remain insufficient.
As sustained heatwaves continue to make headlines across Europe, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (search) (ECDC) has issued a stark warning: it is the continuously higher temperatures of an ever-longer duration that are creating the conditions for many infections to spread. The agency's ongoing monitoring and data collection this summer highlights four areas of particular concern, underscoring how climate change is reshaping the infectious disease landscape across the continent.
"While the current heatwaves are making headlines, it is the continuously higher temperatures of an ever longer duration that create the conditions for many infections to spread," the ECDC stated in its press release. The agency emphasized that close cooperation across borders and sectors is now vital to effectively predict, prevent, and respond to these emerging threats.
Foodborne Diseases: Accelerated Bacterial Growth
Foodborne diseases rank among the most frequent summer illnesses, with warmer temperatures accelerating the risk of bacterial growth in food. According to the World Health Organization, hot and humid weather creates ideal conditions for germs to multiply quickly, making food unsafe — often without any obvious change in its appearance, taste, or smell.
The ECDC recommends ensuring good hygiene, washing fruit and vegetables before eating, keeping raw and cooked food separate, cooking food thoroughly — particularly meat — and storing food at safe temperatures to help prevent infection.
Vibriosis: Warming Coastal Waters
Warm, low-salinity coastal waters such as the Baltic Sea and river estuaries provide optimal conditions for Vibrio bacteria, which cause vibriosis (search). Although Vibrio infections remain relatively rare in Europe, several northern countries bordering the Baltic Sea have reported increases in recent years, particularly during summers with extended heatwaves and higher water temperatures.
The ECDC recently launched an updated interactive data visualization tool that predicts where the risk of infection may be higher. Preventive measures include avoiding swimming with open cuts, scratches, or recent piercings, and ensuring that seafood from affected areas is thoroughly cooked.
Mosquito-Borne Diseases: An Expanding Threat
Longer warm and humid seasons are allowing invasive mosquitoes to thrive in regions where they were previously rare or entirely absent. Mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue (search), chikungunya (search), and West Nile virus (search) are becoming an increasing public health concern in Europe.
The West Nile virus (search) transmission season typically runs from late spring to autumn, peaking between July and September, with cases reported this year in Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, Romania, and Spain, according to the WHO. The ECDC advises using insect repellent, wearing protective clothing, and employing indoor protection measures such as window screens, air conditioning, or mosquito nets. It is also important to avoid leaving stagnant water close to homes and gardens, as this serves as an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.
Tick-Borne Diseases: A Lengthening Season
Ticks are found across Europe, and the season during which they are active is becoming longer as spring and autumn become milder in many places. Infected ticks can transmit Lyme disease (search) and tick-borne encephalitis (search) (TBE), which can lead to serious long-term complications. The European region reports an average of 3,000 cases of tick-borne encephalitis every year.
Wearing long sleeves and long trousers when hiking or spending time in parks can help prevent tick bites, as can checking for and removing ticks after spending time outdoors. Vaccination is also one of the most effective means of preventing tick-borne encephalitis (search), and a vaccine effective against TBE is available.
The One Health Approach and Preparedness
As climate change increases the range of public health threats, there is a growing need for longer-term strategic collaboration and cooperation across the human, environmental, and animal sectors. A shared commitment to work across disciplines is brought together by the EU's One Health approach, which underlines the need for cooperation to ensure the health of people, animals, plants, and the shared environment.
The ECDC regularly assesses the implementation of the One Health approach in the EU, helping member states strengthen their preparedness and resilience in the face of heatwaves and other extreme weather conditions. The most recent assessments found that more than half of EU member states have a national climate change adaptation plan. However, the agency noted that work is still needed to ensure that dedicated measures are in place to address the public health impacts of extreme weather events across sectors.