Britain's worsening drought could trigger outbreaks of infectious diseases, scientists have warned. Researchers say prolonged dry spells can make potentially deadly diseases spread more easily.As rivers and ponds dry up, animals and disease-carrying insects can be forced into ever-smaller pockets of water, creating potential hotspots for infection.A new review has examined almost 100 previous studies to investigate how increasingly dry conditions could reshape the spread of infectious diseases.Britain is not immune to the disease risks created by drought, although the threats here would be different from those seen in other parts of the world.One of the biggest concerns is leptospirosis, also known as Weil's disease, which is a bacterial infection already found in the UK.The disease is spread by bacteria carried in the urine of infected animals, particularly rats and livestock, which can contaminate rivers, lakes and other waterways.An infected human can experience symptoms from mild flu-like aches to life-threatening organ failure. As rivers and ponds dry up, animals and disease-carrying insects can be forced into ever-smaller pockets of water, creating potential hotspots for infection. Pictured: The exposed, cracked and dried mud bed of Hollow Pond in east London