The Potential Impact of Climate Change on Endemic Bacillus anthracis Infection in Türkiye

The impact of climate change is accelerating around the world, with effects ranging from increased global temperatures to changes in rainfall and drought patterns. For zoonotic diseases, there is an intrinsic link between the environment and incidence, with more extreme weather events leading to changes in vector behavior, changing epidemic dynamics over time. Within Türkiye, temperatures are predicted to increase by 5–6°C in inland regions and 4–5°C in coastal regions by 2100, whereas the level of precipitation is estimated to vary wildly depending on region. Anthrax is an endemic disease in several regions within Türkiye, capable of causing serious infections in both humans and animals and is caused by the Gram-positive, spore-forming organism Bacillus anthracis. Although reported case numbers are limited, B. anthracis is well adapted to survival in adverse environmental conditions by forming spores, enabling it to survive outside of a suitable host for prolonged periods of time, and as such, climate change presents an opportunity for the organism. In this review, the potential impact of climate change on B. anthracis will be evaluated.

Keywords: Anthrax; Climate change; Türkiye; Zoonotic diseases