Climate crisis and pathogens - new challenges for infection research

Review of the press briefing on July 2, 2025

The press workshop of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) on July 2, 2025 in Berlin focused on a highly topical issue: the impact of the climate crisis on infectious diseases. An outside temperature of around 36 degrees at the event venue in Berlin-Mitte impressively underlined the urgency of the topic. In cooperation with Helmholtz KLIMA , the dialog platform for climate-related research, the workshop offered in-depth insights into current studies, risk assessments and recommendations for action.

Virtual Press Kit (partially in German)

pdf (14.31 MB)

Rising temperatures - growing health risks

The effects of climate change are not only evident in heatwaves or extreme weather events, but increasingly also in the spread of pathogens. New transmission routes, changed habitats of vectors (e.g. ticks, mosquitoes) and increased selection pressure are favoring the emergence of new types of infectious diseases.

"The climate crisis is acting as a catalyst for existing and new health risks," explained Prof. Josef Penninger, Scientific Director of the HZI. He presented the strategic reorientation of the center, in which infectious disease research is linked with climate models and environmental observations.

More about Josef Penninger:

Research contributions of the HZI:

"One Health Exploratories"
Impact of climate change on vector-borne diseases (e.g. caused by ticks or mosquitoes)
Drug development for the treatment of "tropical" infectious diseases
Early warning systems and population studies
Biodiversity monitoring

Interdisciplinary research for global challenges

Portrait Prof Dr Fabian Leendertz — Prof. Fabian Leendertz is Director of the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH) and head of the research group "Ecology and Emergence of Zoonoses".

Prof. Fabian Leendertz, Director of the Helmholtz Institute for One Health (HIOH), emphasized the role of interdisciplinary approaches: "Climate change and zoonoses cannot be considered separately. Only with the One Health approach will we be able to detect and contain pandemics at an early stage in the future."

His focus is on regions with a particularly high risk, such as West or Central Africa, where environmental degradation and the spread of pathogens often go hand in hand. Another model region is Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a heavily cultivated agricultural landscape in which humans are encroaching ever more deeply into natural habitats, thereby reducing the distance between humans and wild animals.

Projects in focus:

Establishing One Health exploratories in Africa and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which collect long-term and systematic data on the health of humans, animals and the environment and combine them into a big picture.

Listening tip: InFact - The HZI podcast:

Additional episodes on the topic:

Modeling and prevention: How epidemiologists are thinking more broadly about infection control

Portrait Berit Lange — Dr Berit Lange is head of the Department of Epidemiology at the HZI, President of the German Society for Epidemiology and a member of the STIKO.

Dr. Berit Lange, Head of the Department of Epidemiology at the HZI, President of the German Society for Epidemiology and member of the STIKO, presented results from the EU project SUNRISE and the new INFRALINK initiative.

"We need to understand how infection processes develop in critical infrastructures - and which preventive measures are particularly effective there," said Dr. Berit Lange.

Among other things, SUNRISE analyzes wastewater samples and mobility data in order to develop early warning systems for outbreaks of infection. INFRALINK, on the other hand, networks health authorities and research institutions in order to be able to react more quickly to infection situations.

Projects in focus:

Conclusion, further expertise and resources

The press workshop made it clear that the health consequences of the climate crisis are not a scenario of the future, but already a reality. Science, politics and society must work together more closely to systematically record and understand the risks of infection due to climate change - and to counter them effectively. The Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research wants to provide impetus here - and develop new solutions.