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Owusu Agyare B, Eder P, Shenai S, Chendi BH, Carlson C, Iradukunda A, Mukoka M, Ogony J, Manigart O, Ogbaini-Emovon E, Seida AA, Prado EO, Ghadrshenas A, Carmona S, Tucker JD. Potential implications of the climate crisis on diagnostics. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 4:e0002935. [PMID: 38457445 PMCID: PMC10923424 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Owusu Agyare
- Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Paul Eder
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Bih H. Chendi
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- SAMRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Colin Carlson
- Center for Global Health Science and Security, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | | | - Marithe Mukoka
- Rodolphe Meriuex Laboratory INRB- Goma, Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Jack Ogony
- College of Health Sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Olivier Manigart
- GFA Consulting Group, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
- PROALAB, West African Health Organization, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Ahmed A. Seida
- Immunology and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | | | | | | | - Joseph D. Tucker
- Clinical Research Department, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
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Walldorf J, Mezger NCS, Weber L, Knothe A, Klose M, Moritz S, Kantelhardt EJ, Feller S, Schlitt A, Greinert R, Michl P. [Climate Crisis: What Gastrointestinal Complications of this Medical Emergency Should We Be Aware Of?]. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR GASTROENTEROLOGIE 2023; 61:1608-1617. [PMID: 37044125 DOI: 10.1055/a-2058-8883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The climate crisis has serious consequences for many areas of life. This applies in particular to human health - also in Europe. While cardiovascular, pneumological and dermatological diseases related to the climate crisis are often discussed, the crisis' significant gastroenterological consequences for health must also be considered. METHODS A literature search (Pubmed, Cochrane Library) was used to identify papers with relevance particularly to the field of gastroenterology in (Central) Europe. Findings were supplemented and discussed by an interdisciplinary team. RESULTS The climate crisis impacts the frequency and severity of gastrointestinal diseases in Europe due to more frequent and severe heat waves, flooding and air pollution. While patients with intestinal diseases are particularly vulnerable to acute weather events, the main long-term consequences of climate change are gastrointestinal cancer and liver disease. In addition to gastroenteritis, other infectious diseases such as vector-borne diseases and parasites are important in the context of global warming, heat waves and floods. DISCUSSION Adaptation strategies must be consistently developed and implemented for vulnerable groups. Patients at risk should be informed about measures that can be implemented individually, such as avoiding heat, ensuring appropriate hydration and following hygiene instructions. Recommendations for physical activity and a healthy and sustainable diet are essential for the prevention of liver diseases and carcinomas. Measures for prevention and the promotion of resilience can be supported by the physicians at various levels. In addition to efforts fostering sustainability in the immediate working environment, a system-oriented commitment to climate protection is important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Walldorf
- Klinik für Innere Medizin I, University Hospital Halle, Halle, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Christian Simon Mezger
- Arbeitsgruppe Global and Planetary Health, Institut für Medizinische Epidemiologie, Biometrie und Informatik, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Lena Weber
- Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Anja Knothe
- Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Michelle Klose
- Klinik für Innere Medizin I, University Hospital Halle, Halle, Germany
| | - Stefan Moritz
- Klinische Infektiologie, Universitätsklinikum Halle (Saale), Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Eva Johanna Kantelhardt
- Arbeitsgruppe Global and Planetary Health, Institut für Medizinische Epidemiologie, Biometrie und Informatik, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Stephan Feller
- Institut für Molekulare Medizin, Medizinische Fakultät, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Axel Schlitt
- Paracelsus-Harz-Klinik Bad Suderode, Bad Suderode, Germany
| | - Robin Greinert
- Klinik für Innere Medizin I, University Hospital Halle, Halle, Germany
| | - Patrick Michl
- Klinik für Innere Medizin I, University Hospital Halle, Halle, Germany
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Jadeja N, Omumbo J, Adelekan I, Rees H, Bonfoh B, Kariuki T, Tufet Bayona M. Climate and health strategies must take vaccination into account. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:2215-2216. [PMID: 38030902 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01537-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Judy Omumbo
- Science for Africa Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Ibidun Adelekan
- Department of Geography, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Helen Rees
- Wits RHI, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Bassirou Bonfoh
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
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Rublee C, Bhatta B, Tiwari S, Pant S. Three Climate and Health Lessons from Nepal Ahead of COP28. NAM Perspect 2023; 2023:202311f. [PMID: 38784635 PMCID: PMC11114597 DOI: 10.31478/202311f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
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Diamond MB, Yee E, Bhinge M, Scarpino SV. Wastewater surveillance facilitates climate change-resilient pathogen monitoring. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadi7831. [PMID: 37851828 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adi7831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Traditional disease surveillance systems are ill-equipped to handle climate change-driven shifts in pathogen dynamics. If paired with wastewater surveillance, a cost-effective and scalable approach for generating high-resolution health data, such next-generation systems can enable effective resource allocation and delivery of targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Samuel V Scarpino
- Department of Health Sciences Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
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6
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Van de Vuurst P, Escobar LE. Climate change and infectious disease: a review of evidence and research trends. Infect Dis Poverty 2023; 12:51. [PMID: 37194092 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-023-01102-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Climate change presents an imminent threat to almost all biological systems across the globe. In recent years there have been a series of studies showing how changes in climate can impact infectious disease transmission. Many of these publications focus on simulations based on in silico data, shadowing empirical research based on field and laboratory data. A synthesis work of empirical climate change and infectious disease research is still lacking. METHODS We conducted a systemic review of research from 2015 to 2020 period on climate change and infectious diseases to identify major trends and current gaps of research. Literature was sourced from Web of Science and PubMed literary repositories using a key word search, and was reviewed using a delineated inclusion criteria by a team of reviewers. RESULTS Our review revealed that both taxonomic and geographic biases are present in climate and infectious disease research, specifically with regard to types of disease transmission and localities studied. Empirical investigations on vector-borne diseases associated with mosquitoes comprised the majority of research on the climate change and infectious disease literature. Furthermore, demographic trends in the institutions and individuals published revealed research bias towards research conducted across temperate, high-income countries. We also identified key trends in funding sources for most resent literature and a discrepancy in the gender identities of publishing authors which may reflect current systemic inequities in the scientific field. CONCLUSIONS Future research lines on climate change and infectious diseases should considered diseases of direct transmission (non-vector-borne) and more research effort in the tropics. Inclusion of local research in low- and middle-income countries was generally neglected. Research on climate change and infectious disease has failed to be socially inclusive, geographically balanced, and broad in terms of the disease systems studied, limiting our capacities to better understand the actual effects of climate change on health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige Van de Vuurst
- Virginia Tech Graduate School, Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Program, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Luis E Escobar
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Center for Emerging Zoonotic and Arthropod-Borne Pathogens, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Global Change Center, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
- Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá, Colombia.
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Interlinkages between Climate Change and Food Systems: The Impact on Child Malnutrition-Narrative Review. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15020416. [PMID: 36678287 PMCID: PMC9865989 DOI: 10.3390/nu15020416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The pandemics of obesity, undernutrition, and climate change represent severe threats to child health. They co-occur; interact with each other to produce sequelae at biological, psychological, or social levels; and share common underlying drivers. In this paper, we review the key issues concerning child diet and nutritional status, focusing on the interactions with climate and food systems. Inadequate infant and young child feeding practices, food insecurity, poverty, and limited access to health services are the leading causes of malnutrition across generations. Food system industrialization and globalization lead to a double burden of malnutrition, whereby undernutrition (i.e., stunting, wasting, and deficiencies in micronutrients) coexists with overweight and obesity, as well as to harmful effects on climate. Climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic are worsening child malnutrition, impacting the main underlying causes (i.e., household food security, dietary diversity, nutrient quality, and access to maternal and child health), as well as the social, economic, and political factors determining food security and nutrition (livelihoods, income, infrastructure resources, and political context). Existing interventions have the potential to be further scaled-up to concurrently address undernutrition, overnutrition, and climate change by cross-cutting education, agriculture, food systems, and social safety nets. Several stakeholders must work co-operatively to improve global sustainable nutrition.
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Marí-Dell’Olmo M, Oliveras L, Barón-Miras LE, Borrell C, Montalvo T, Ariza C, Ventayol I, Mercuriali L, Sheehan M, Gómez-Gutiérrez A, Villalbí JR. Climate Change and Health in Urban Areas with a Mediterranean Climate: A Conceptual Framework with a Social and Climate Justice Approach. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:12764. [PMID: 36232063 PMCID: PMC9566374 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly evident and highlight the important interdependence between the well-being of people and ecosystems. Although climate change is a global phenomenon, its causes and consequences vary dramatically across territories and population groups. Among settings particularly susceptible to health impacts from climate change are cities with a Mediterranean climate. Here, impacts will put additional pressure on already-stressed ecosystems and vulnerable economies and societies, increasing health inequalities. Therefore, this article presents and discusses a conceptual framework for understanding the complex relationship between climate change and health in the context of cities with Mediterranean climate from a social and climate justice approach. The different elements that integrate the conceptual framework are: (1) the determinants of climate change; (2) its environmental and social consequences; (3) its direct and indirect impacts on health; and (4) the role of mitigation and adaptation policies. The model places special emphasis on the associated social and health inequalities through (1) the recognition of the role of systems of privilege and oppression; (2) the distinction between structural and intermediate determinants of climate change at the root of health inequalities; (3) the role of individual and collective vulnerability in mediating the effects of climate change on health; and (4) the need to act from a climate justice perspective to reverse health inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Sant Quintí 77-79, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Oliveras
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Sant Quintí 77-79, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lourdes Estefanía Barón-Miras
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Hospital Clinic, Universitat de Barcelona, Villarroel 170, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carme Borrell
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Sant Quintí 77-79, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tomás Montalvo
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Sant Quintí 77-79, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carles Ariza
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Irma Ventayol
- Oficina de Canvi Climàtic i Sostenibilitat, Ajuntament de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 240, 08018 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lilas Mercuriali
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Sant Quintí 77-79, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mary Sheehan
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Joint Johns Hopkins University-Pompeu Fabra University Public Policy Center, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Ramon Trias Fargas, 25-27, 08005 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Gómez-Gutiérrez
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB SANT PAU), Sant Quintí 77-79, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Ramon Villalbí
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona (ASPB), Pl. Lesseps 1, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
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Smalley AJ, White MP, Ripley R, Atack TX, Lomas E, Sharples M, Coates PA, Groom N, Grand A, Heneberry A, Fleming LE, Depledge MH. Forest 404: Using a BBC drama series to explore the impact of nature's changing soundscapes on human wellbeing and behavior. GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE : HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS 2022; 74:102497. [PMID: 36406626 PMCID: PMC9664366 DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2022.102497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Extensive ecosystem degradation and increasing urbanization are altering human relationships with nature. To explore these trends, we created a transdisciplinary, narrative-led podcast series produced by the BBC, called Forest 404. The series explored the implications of a world without nature. An online experimental component mobilized audience participation (n = 7,596) to assess responses to natural soundscapes with and without abiotic, biotic, and poetic elements across five biomes. Conditions featuring the sounds of wildlife, such as bird song, were perceived to be more psychologically restorative than those without. Participants' personal lived experiences were strongly related to these outcomes; those who had memories triggered by the sounds were more likely to find them psychologically restorative and exhibited a greater motivation to preserve them. Moreover, the effects of both soundscape composition and memories on preservation behavior were partially mediated by restorative potential; respondents were more likely to want to protect the sounds they heard if they thought they might offer therapeutic outcomes. Our findings highlight the value of art-science collaborations and demonstrate how maintaining contact with the natural world can promote wellbeing and foster behaviors that protect planetary health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Nick Groom
- University of Exeter, UK
- University of Macau, China
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Paz S, Majeed A, Christophides GK. Climate change impacts on infectious diseases in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East (EMME)-risks and recommendations. CLIMATIC CHANGE 2021; 169:40. [PMID: 34980932 PMCID: PMC8716574 DOI: 10.1007/s10584-021-03300-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region has rapid population growth, large differences in socio-economic levels between developed and developing countries, migration, increased water demand, and ecosystems degradation. The region is experiencing a significant warming trend with longer and warmer summers, increased frequency and severity of heat waves, and a drier climate. While climate change plays an important role in contributing to political instability in the region through displacement of people, food insecurity, and increased violence, it also increases the risks of vector-, water-, and food-borne diseases. Poorer and less educated people, young children and the elderly, migrants, and those with long-term health problems are at highest risk. A result of the inequalities among EMME countries is an inconsistency in the availability of reliable evidence about the impacts on infectious diseases. To help address this gap, a search of the literature was conducted as a basis for related recommended responses and suggested actions for preparedness and prevention. Since climate change already impacts the health of vulnerable populations in the EMME and will have a greater impact in future years, risk assessment and timely design and implementation of health preparedness and adaptation strategies are essential. Joint national and cross-border infectious diseases management systems for more effective preparedness and prevention are needed, supported by interventions that improve the environment. Without such cooperation and effective interventions, climate change will lead to an increasing morbidity and mortality in the EMME from infectious diseases, with a higher risk for the most vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shlomit Paz
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave., Mount Carmel, 3498838 Haifa, Israel
| | - Azeem Majeed
- Department of Primary Care and Public Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - George K. Christophides
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre,, The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Grobusch LC, Grobusch MP. A hot topic at the environment-health nexus: investigating the impact of climate change on infectious diseases. Int J Infect Dis 2021; 116:7-9. [PMID: 34973415 PMCID: PMC8716146 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2021.12.350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
CLIMATE CHANGE - THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE OF OUR TIME COVID-19 pandemic aside, climate change is the ultimate challenge of our time. However, to date, there has been insufficient political thrust to make that much-needed climate action a reality. CLIMATE CHANGE AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES Infectious diseases represent only one facet of the threats arising from climate change. Direct impacts from climate change include the more frequent occurrence and increased magnitude of extreme weather events, as well as changing temperatures and precipitation patterns. For climate-sensitive infectious diseases, these changes implicate a shift in geographical and temporal distribution, seasonality, and transmission intensity. SIZING UP THE PROBLEM Susceptibility to the deleterious effects of climate change is a net result of the interplay of not only environmental factors, but also human, societal, and economic factors, with social inequalities being a major determinant of vulnerability. The global South is already disproportionately affected by the climate crisis. The financial capacity to pursue adaptation options is also limited and unevenly distributed. CONCLUSIONS Climate change-induced mortality and morbidity from both infectious and non-infectious diseases, among other adverse scenarios, are expected to rise globally in the future. The coming decade will be crucial for using all remaining opportunities to develop and implement adequate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena C Grobusch
- Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management, University of Lund, Lund, Sweden and Central European University, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin P Grobusch
- Center of Tropical Medicine and Travel Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam Public Health, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Centre de Recherches Médicales en Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné, Gabon; Masanga Medical Research Unit (MMRU), Masanga, Sierra Leone.
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12
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Jelinek L, Voderholzer U, Moritz S, Carsten HP, Riesel A, Miegel F. When a nightmare comes true: Change in obsessive-compulsive disorder over the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic. J Anxiety Disord 2021; 84:102493. [PMID: 34752943 PMCID: PMC8590107 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2021.102493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has particularly affected people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Exacerbation of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) has been suspected for those with contamination-related OCD (C-OCD). However, the course of OCS over the ongoing pandemic remains unclear. We assessed 268 participants with OCD (n = 184 with C-OCD) in an online survey at the beginning of the pandemic in Germany, reassessing 179 participants (66.8%, 104 C-OCD) three months later. We assessed severity of OCD (OCI-R), depression (PHQ-9), experiential avoidance, as well as functional and dysfunctional beliefs. Overall, OCS and depressive symptoms did not substantially change over time. However, when people with and without C-OCD were compared, symptoms improved in patients without C-OCD (nC-OCD) but remained stable in patients with C-OCD over time. Symptom improvement was associated with male gender, higher initial OCI-R, and nC-OCD. Experiential avoidance and beliefs at the beginning of the pandemic did not generally predict change in OCS. People with OCD, particularly those with nC-OCD, showed tentative signs for signs of adapting, whereas distress in those with C-OCD remained at a high level, underlining the burden for these patients. Clinicians should be informed about how to maintain effective treatment for C-OCD during a pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Jelinek
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.
| | - Ulrich Voderholzer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany,Schoen Clinic Roseneck, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Steffen Moritz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
| | - Hannes Per Carsten
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anja Riesel
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Hamburg, Germany
| | - Franziska Miegel
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
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Semenza JC, Paz S. Climate change and infectious disease in Europe: Impact, projection and adaptation. THE LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH. EUROPE 2021; 9:100230. [PMID: 34664039 PMCID: PMC8513157 DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Europeans are not only exposed to direct effects from climate change, but also vulnerable to indirect effects from infectious disease, many of which are climate sensitive, which is of concern because of their epidemic potential. Climatic conditions have facilitated vector-borne disease outbreaks like chikungunya, dengue, and West Nile fever and have contributed to a geographic range expansion of tick vectors that transmit Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis. Extreme precipitation events have caused waterborne outbreaks and longer summer seasons have contributed to increases in foodborne diseases. Under the Green Deal, The European Union aims to support climate change health policy, in order to be better prepared for the next health security threat, particularly in the aftermath of the traumatic COVID-19 experience. To bolster this policy process we discuss climate change-related hazards, exposures and vulnerabilities to infectious disease and describe observed impacts, projected risks, with policy entry points for adaptation to reduce these risks or avoid them altogether.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan C. Semenza
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Shlomit Paz
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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Towards Sustainable Community-Based Systems for Infectious Disease and Disaster Response; Lessons from Local Initiatives in Four African Countries. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su131810083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
This paper explores the role of decentralised community-based care systems in achieving sustainable healthcare in resource-poor areas. Based on case studies from Sierra Leone, Madagascar, Uganda and Ethiopia, the paper argues that a community-based system of healthcare is more effective in the prevention, early diagnosis, and primary care in response to the zoonotic and infectious diseases associated with extreme weather events as well as their direct health impacts. Community-based systems of care have a more holistic view of the determinants of health and can integrate responses to health challenges, social wellbeing, ecological and economic viability. The case studies profiled in this paper reveal the importance of expanding notions of health to encompass the whole environment (physical and social, across time and space) in which people live, including the explicit recognition of ecological interests and their interconnections with health. While much work still needs to be done in defining and measuring successful community responses to health and other crises, we identify two potentially core criteria: the inclusion and integration of local knowledge in response planning and actions, and the involvement of researchers and practitioners, e.g., community-embedded health workers and NGO staff, as trusted key interlocuters in brokering knowledge and devising sustainable community systems of care.
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Rodriguez-Morales AJ, Cardona-Ospina JA, Collins MH. Editorial: Emerging and Re-emerging Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:714630. [PMID: 34422869 PMCID: PMC8374163 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.714630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso J Rodriguez-Morales
- Grupo de Investigación Biomedicina, Faculty of Medicine, Fundacion Universitaria Autonoma de las Americas, Pereira, Colombia.,Emerging Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Group, Instituto para la Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas - Sci-Help, Pereira, Colombia.,School of Medicine, Universidad Privada Franz Tamayo (UNIFRANZ), Cochabamba, Bolivia.,Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | - Jaime A Cardona-Ospina
- Grupo de Investigación Biomedicina, Faculty of Medicine, Fundacion Universitaria Autonoma de las Americas, Pereira, Colombia.,Emerging Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Group, Instituto para la Investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas - Sci-Help, Pereira, Colombia
| | - Matthew H Collins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
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Simões MF, Antunes A. Microbial Pathogenicity in Space. Pathogens 2021; 10:450. [PMID: 33918768 PMCID: PMC8069885 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10040450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
After a less dynamic period, space exploration is now booming. There has been a sharp increase in the number of current missions and also of those being planned for the near future. Microorganisms will be an inevitable component of these missions, mostly because they hitchhike, either attached to space technology, like spaceships or spacesuits, to organic matter and even to us (human microbiome), or to other life forms we carry on our missions. Basically, we never travel alone. Therefore, we need to have a clear understanding of how dangerous our "travel buddies" can be; given that, during space missions, our access to medical assistance and medical drugs will be very limited. Do we explore space together with pathogenic microorganisms? Do our hitchhikers adapt to the space conditions, as well as we do? Do they become pathogenic during that adaptation process? The current review intends to better clarify these questions in order to facilitate future activities in space. More technological advances are needed to guarantee the success of all missions and assure the reduction of any possible health and environmental risks for the astronauts and for the locations being explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Filipa Simões
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences (SKLPlanets), Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST), Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau, China;
- China National Space Administration (CNSA), Macau Center for Space Exploration and Science, Macau, China
| | - André Antunes
- State Key Laboratory of Lunar and Planetary Sciences (SKLPlanets), Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST), Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau, China;
- China National Space Administration (CNSA), Macau Center for Space Exploration and Science, Macau, China
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Bikomeye JC, Rublee CS, Beyer KMM. Positive Externalities of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation for Human Health: A Review and Conceptual Framework for Public Health Research. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:2481. [PMID: 33802347 PMCID: PMC7967605 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18052481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change is adversely impacting people and contributing to suffering and increased costs from climate-related diseases and injuries. In responding to this urgent and growing public health crisis, mitigation strategies are in place to reduce future greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) while adaptation strategies exist to reduce and/or alleviate the adverse effects of climate change by increasing systems' resilience to future impacts. While these strategies have numerous positive benefits on climate change itself, they also often have other positive externalities or health co-benefits. This knowledge can be harnessed to promote and improve global public health, particularly for the most vulnerable populations. Previous conceptual models in mitigation and adaptation studies such as the shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) considered health in the thinking, but health outcomes were not their primary intention. Additionally, existing guidance documents such as the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidance for Climate Resilient and Environmentally Sustainable Health Care Facilities is designed primarily for public health professionals or healthcare managers in hospital settings with a primary focus on resilience. However, a detailed cross sectoral and multidisciplinary conceptual framework, which links mitigation and adaptation strategies with health outcomes as a primary end point, has not yet been developed to guide research in this area. In this paper, we briefly summarize the burden of climate change on global public health, describe important mitigation and adaptation strategies, and present key health benefits by giving context specific examples from high, middle, and low-income settings. We then provide a conceptual framework to inform future global public health research and preparedness across sectors and disciplines and outline key stakeholders recommendations in promoting climate resilient systems and advancing health equity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean C. Bikomeye
- PhD Program in Public and Community Health, Institute for Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA;
| | - Caitlin S. Rublee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA;
| | - Kirsten M. M. Beyer
- PhD Program in Public and Community Health, Institute for Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA;
- Division of Epidemiology, Institute for Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
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Ciociola T, Giovati L, Conti S, Magliani W. Anti-Infective Antibody-Derived Peptides Active against Endogenous and Exogenous Fungi. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9010143. [PMID: 33435157 PMCID: PMC7827253 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoses still represent relevant opportunistic infections worldwide, although overshadowed in recent years by other severe and more widespread infections. Moreover, deep-seated mycoses are often accompanied by unacceptably high mortality rates. Etiologic agents include endogenous components of the mycobiota, Candida and Malassezia species above all, and exogenous species, both yeasts and filamentous fungi. Old and new fungal pathogens are increasingly characterized by resistance to the existing antifungal agents, making imperative the search for effective and safe new therapeutics. Among the candidate molecules proposed in recent decades, synthetic peptides derived from the complementarity determining and constant regions of diverse antibodies (Abs), as well as the translated products of Ab-encoding genes, have proved of considerable interest. Their anti-infective activities, regardless of the specificity and isotype of the originating Ab, will be briefly presented and discussed in the light of their different mechanisms of action. Intriguing suggestions on the possible function of Abs after their half-life will be presented, following the recent detection, in human serum, of an antimicrobial Ab-derived peptide. Overall, Abs could represent a source of biologically active, highly flexible peptides, devoid of detectable toxicity, which can be easily synthesized and manipulated to be used, alone or in association with already available drugs, for new anti-infective strategies.
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