Environmental Drivers of Pathogen Transmission

Climate change and environmental change are reshaping the way pathogens move through ecosystems. Changes in temperature, rainfall patterns, flooding, land use, and human activities can influence where pathogens survive, how long they persist in the environment, and the opportunities that wildlife, domestic animals, and people have to become exposed.

Our research focuses on environmentally transmitted pathogens, organisms that can persist or spread through water, soil, food, or other parts of the environment. We investigate how environmental conditions shape the distribution and transmission of pathogens and how these relationships may change as landscapes and climates continue to change. For example, changes in rainfall and flooding can alter the movement of pathogens through water systems, while rising temperatures may affect pathogen survival and the ecology of the animals that carry or encounter them.

By combining field sampling with laboratory analyses, environmental data, and ecological and epidemiological modeling, we study how pathogen occurrence varies across space and time.

Our work aims to identify the environmental conditions associated with increased disease risk and better understand how climate and land-use change may affect the health of wildlife, domestic animals, and human communities.

Ultimately, this research helps us understand the links between environmental change and disease emergence. By identifying when and where conditions may favor pathogen transmission, we hope to contribute to strategies that protect ecosystem health, support wildlife conservation, and reduce disease risks at the human–animal–environment interface.

Recent publications on this theme include:

• Rasambainarivo, F. T., Nilsson, I. G., Cheeks, D. E., Yang, W., & Metcalf, C. J. E. (2026). Evaluating how demography and temperature increase might alter the burden of congenital Toxoplasmosis in Africa. PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 20(3), e0014058.