Scrub typhus in the era of climate change: exploring lagged and cumulative effects of meteorological factors in the Republic of Korea, 2001–2024, a nationwide time-series study

Over the past 2 decades, the influence of meteorological factors on scrub typhus has shifted, with recent years marked by greater uncertainty under increasing climate variability and instability. For timely risk prediction and targeted prevention, adaptive surveillance systems that integrate dynamic climate indicators-capturing the intensity, frequency, and variability of extreme weather events-are needed.