Climate change: an accelerator for certain diseases?
,
Climate change could contribute to
an increase in malaria cases and asthma, according to a report entitled
"Climate Change Futures: Health, Ecological and Economic Dimensions"
*.
This document, whose conclusions
were made public was supported by the United Nations Program for Development
(UNDP) and an insurance company. It analyzes the potential impact of global
warming on human health.
The increase in temperature favors
the mosquitoes and ticks that carry diseases such as malaria, West Nile virus
and Lyme disease, according to Paul Epstein of Harvard Medical School and
colleagues.
The habitat responsible for dengue
and yellow fever mosquito area, Aedes aegyppti appears and have expanded over
the past three decades, including the colonization of mountain areas at
altitudes where the temperature was low until there a limiting factor, says the
report.
Moreover, "higher temperatures
accelerate the maturation of the malaria parasite in the mosquito," which
gives him the opportunity to bite uninfected people, promoting the spread of
the disease, say the authors. Provided, however, remain viable in the mosquito
limits, that too much heat will kill, they nuance.
In addition, the favorable tick
habitat area could reach 213% of its current size by 2080, according to
scientific estimates.
Finally, the researchers suggest
that asthma may increase with the level of CO2 in the atmosphere. The growth of
plants with pollen allergen is indeed favored when the levels of the gas increases,
the study says.
Author: Mohammad
Mohammad is the founder of STC Network which offers Web Services and Online Business Solutions to clients around the globe. Read More →