Effects of climatic factors on human parainfluenza 1, 2, and 3 infections in Cheonan, Republic of Korea

How climate change degrades child health: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Children are more vulnerable than adults to climate-related health threats, but reviews examining how climate change affects human health have been mainly descriptive and lack an assessment of the magnitude of health effects children face. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis that identifies which climate-health relationships pose the greatest threats to children.

OBJECTIVES

We reviewed epidemiologic studies to analyse various child health outcomes due to climate change and identify the relationships with the largest effect size. We identify population-specific risks and provide recommendations for future research.

METHODS

We searched four large online databases for observational studies published up to 5 January 2023 following PRISMA (systematic review) guidelines. We evaluated each included study individually and aggregated relevant quantitative data. We used quantitative data in our meta-analysis, where we standardised effect sizes and compared them among different groupings of climate variables and health outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 1301 articles we identified, 163 studies were eligible for analysis. We identified many relationships between climate change and child health, the strongest of which was increasing risk (60 % on average) of preterm birth from exposure to temperature extremes. Respiratory disease, mortality, and morbidity, among others, were also influenced by climate changes. The effects of different air pollutants on health outcomes were considerably smaller compared to temperature effects, but with most (16/20 = 80 %) pollutant studies indicating at least a weak effect. Most studies occurred in high-income regions, but we found no geographical clustering according to health outcome, climate variable, or magnitude of risk. The following factors were protective of climate-related child-health threats: (i) economic stability and strength, (ii) access to quality healthcare, (iii) adequate infrastructure, and (iv) food security. Threats to these services vary by local geographical, climate, and socio-economic conditions. Children will have increased prevalence of disease due to anthropogenic climate change, and our quantification of the impact of various aspects of climate change on child health can contribute to the planning of mitigation that will improve the health of current and future generations.

Interrelationship between climatic factors and incidence of FBD caused by Clostridioides difficile toxin B, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter spp., and Escherichia coli O157:H7

Foodborne diseases (FBDs) remain a global public health concern. Climatic factors such as wind-chill temperature, rainfall, and relative humidity affect the incidence of several FBDs. This study was performed to analyze how the various factors of the climate influence the incidence and severity of FBDs. This study retrospectively analyzed the results of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) tests for diarrhea-causing bacteria performed on 2300 fecal samples obtained from patients at Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan, from June 2010 to December 2019. The Clostridioides difficile toxin B infection rate positively correlated with the intensity of sunshine, and the content of particulate matter. The Campylobacter spp. infection rate positively correlated with wind-chill temperature and the content of particulate matter. The Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection rate positively correlated with relative humidity. These findings may explain the dynamics and risks of Clostridioides difficile toxin B, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter spp., and Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection. They may help predict interrelationships among climatic factors and standardize national environmental health policies. However, in-depth research with large-scale data, molecular biology, and epidemiology would be required going forward. Future research would also require objective indicators of the changes in the prevalence of FBD-causing microbial pathogens for the effective prevention and management of these bacterial infections.