Recently, scholars from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and other institutions published the latest research in "Nature-Climate Change", pointing out that the continuous emission of greenhouse gases caused by human activities is exacerbating the instability of the earth's climate system, and 60% of human pathogenic diseases are caused by climate change. aggravated.
Scholars such as Camilo Mora have sorted out 3,213 real cases of human diseases with clear pathogens related to climate disasters. Scholars listed 10 scenarios as "climate disasters," including warming, changes in natural cover, ocean climate change, heavy precipitation, storms, sea level rise, floods, droughts, heat waves, and fires. On the one hand, climate disasters are becoming more and more frequent, which has become the consensus of scientists. On the other hand, human pathogenic diseases (such as those caused by bacteria, viruses, animals, plants, fungi, etc.) and transmission types are also increasingly affected by climate disasters.

Climate Hazards of Continued Greenhouse Gas Emissions to the Earth System

Research shows that of 375 pathogenic diseases affecting humans, 218 (58%) are exacerbated by climate impacts, including anthrax, cholera, malaria, Lyme disease, West Nile virus and Zika virus, among others; 277 diseases 54 diseases were sometimes exacerbated by at least one climate disaster, and only 16% of infectious diseases were reduced by climate change.

Diseases exacerbated by climate hazards compared to all reported infectious diseases

The article revealed in detail 1,006 "unique ways" of climate disasters causing disease. Among them, climate warming is the single climate factor that has the greatest impact on disease and is the most involved. The study specifically pointed out that the number of pathogenic diseases caused by different climate disasters is different, namely: 160 diseases caused by global warming, 122 diseases caused by heavy rainfall, 121 diseases caused by floods, 81 diseases caused by drought, storms (typhoons) and 122 diseases. 71 diseases are associated with land cover change, 61 diseases are caused by land cover change, 43 diseases are caused by ocean climate change, and 21 diseases are caused by fire), 20 diseases are caused by heat waves, and 10 diseases are caused by sea level rise. Furthermore, these diseases were found to be associated with the following causative factors: viruses (76 diseases), bacteria (69 diseases), animals (45 diseases), fungi (24 diseases), unicellular animals (23 diseases) And plants (12 diseases) and so on. From the perspective of the source of infection, there are 103 kinds of pathogenic diseases mainly transmitted by vectors, 78 kinds of diseases involving water-borne diseases, 60 kinds of air-borne diseases, 56 kinds of direct contact-borne diseases, and 50 kinds of food-borne diseases. .

Pathogenic diseases aggravated by climate disasters

Huang Cunrui, a professor at the Vanke School of Public Health and Health at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times Health Client that climate change has brought about an increase in the average surface temperature, the state of the global climate system is disordered, and the occurrence of extreme weather and climate events has increased, and the impact on different regions exists. For example, some places may be more prone to high temperature and heat waves, some places may be more prone to heavy rainfall and floods, and others are more prone to typhoons, droughts and wildfires. There is a consensus in the scientific community that extreme weather events may become a new normal in the future.
Professor Huang Cunrui said that there are many reasons for climate change to exacerbate the outbreak of infectious diseases. Global warming accelerates the reproduction and growth life cycle of some pathogens, accelerates the rapid adaptation of pathogens to the environment, and increases the speed of their mutation; after global warming, many species begin to migrate northward, and wild animals lose their original habitats or expand their habitats. It may overlap with the living environment of human beings, and the probability of human exposure to new pathogens increases; the melting of glaciers and permafrost may also release ancient viruses; flood disasters lead to a large number of garbage and drowned animals and plants, which are prone to water-borne diseases. Disease spread.
The researchers predict that at least 15,000 new cross-species virus transmissions are expected to occur by 2070 under the continued deterioration of climate change. Over the next 50 years, the risk of new infectious diseases from animals to humans will increase, especially in Africa and Asia. Experts pointed out that the research prompts us to strengthen the monitoring and early warning of climate change and epidemic risks in the future, and strengthen the research on the spread of infectious diseases caused by climate change. Countries around the world should take actions to reduce carbon emissions and curb the accelerated global warming. Protect the Earth's ecosystem. For the general public, it is necessary to strengthen their own immunity, maintain a balanced nutrition, keep exercising, pay attention to weather changes, reduce exposure to environmental risk factors, take health protection measures in advance, and try to avoid contact with wild animals and plants.
(Original title "How does climate change affect disease development? New research: 218 pathogenic diseases are related to this", interviewed expert Huang Cunrui, tenured professor at the Vanke School of Public Health and Health, Tsinghua University)