Study Connects Climate Events to Infectious Diseases
2022-08-12
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1A new study finds climate events such as flooding, heat waves and drought worsen more than half of the known diseases that infect people.
2These diseases include malaria, cholera and anthrax.
3Researchers examined medical literature of established cases of such diseases.
4They found out that 218 out of the known 375 human infectious diseases, or 58 percent, seemed to be made worse by extreme weather connected to climate change.
5The results appeared this week in the publication Nature Climate Change.
6The study connected more than 1000 pathways from climate events to sick people.
7In some cases, heavy rains and flooding sicken people through disease-carrying mosquitos, rats and deer.
8Other events, like warming oceans and heat waves, spoil seafood and droughts bring bats carrying viral infections to people.
9Medical doctors, going back to the days of ancient Greek civilization, have long connected disease to weather.
10But this study shows how widespread the influence of climate is on human health.
11"If climate is changing, the risk of these diseases are changing," said study co-leader Dr. Jonathan Patz, director of the Global Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
12Dr. Carlos del Rio is an Emory University infectious disease specialist who was not involved in the study.
13He said, "The findings of this study are terrifying and illustrate well the enormous consequences of climate change on human pathogens."
14Del Rio said humans "need to all work together to prevent" disaster from climate change.
15In addition to looking at infectious diseases, the researchers explored data on all kinds of human sicknesses, including non-infectious conditions like asthma, allergies and animal bites.
16They wanted to learn how many sicknesses could connect to climate events in some way.
17They found a total of 286 unique sicknesses, and 223 of them seemed to be worsened by climate events.
18The study found nine of the conditions were reduced by climate events.
19Camilo Mora, a climate data expert at the University of Hawaii, is a co-leader of the study.
20He said the study is not about predicting future cases.
21"These are things that have already happened," he noted.
22One example Mora knows from his own experience.
23About five years ago, Mora's home in rural Colombia was flooded, creating a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
24Mora contracted Chikungunya, a virus spread by mosquito bites.
25He survived, but he still suffers pain related to the disease.
26In another case, the remains of a reindeer dead from anthrax were unearthed as the Siberian permafrost melted from warming in 2016.
27A child touched the dead animal, got anthrax, and an outbreak spread.
28Dr. Aaron Bernstein is with the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard School of Public Health.
29He and other outside experts said the study is a good warning about climate and health for now and the future.
30Bernstein added in an email.
31"But of course, it only reports on what we already know and what's yet unknown about pathogens may be yet more compelling about how preventing further climate change may prevent future disasters like COVID-19."
32I'm Caty Weaver.
1A new study finds climate events such as flooding, heat waves and drought worsen more than half of the known diseases that infect people. These diseases include malaria, cholera and anthrax. 2Researchers examined medical literature of established cases of such diseases. They found out that 218 out of the known 375 human infectious diseases, or 58 percent, seemed to be made worse by extreme weather connected to climate change. The results appeared this week in the publication Nature Climate Change. 3The study connected more than 1000 pathways from climate events to sick people. In some cases, heavy rains and flooding sicken people through disease-carrying mosquitos, rats and deer. Other events, like warming oceans and heat waves, spoil seafood and droughts bring bats carrying viral infections to people. 4Medical doctors, going back to the days of ancient Greek civilization, have long connected disease to weather. But this study shows how widespread the influence of climate is on human health. 5"If climate is changing, the risk of these diseases are changing," said study co-leader Dr. Jonathan Patz, director of the Global Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 6Dr. Carlos del Rio is an Emory University infectious disease specialist who was not involved in the study. He said, "The findings of this study are terrifying and illustrate well the enormous consequences of climate change on human pathogens." 7Del Rio said humans "need to all work together to prevent" disaster from climate change. 8In addition to looking at infectious diseases, the researchers explored data on all kinds of human sicknesses, including non-infectious conditions like asthma, allergies and animal bites. They wanted to learn how many sicknesses could connect to climate events in some way. 9They found a total of 286 unique sicknesses, and 223 of them seemed to be worsened by climate events. The study found nine of the conditions were reduced by climate events. 10Real-life examples 11Camilo Mora, a climate data expert at the University of Hawaii, is a co-leader of the study. He said the study is not about predicting future cases. "These are things that have already happened," he noted. 12One example Mora knows from his own experience. About five years ago, Mora's home in rural Colombia was flooded, creating a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Mora contracted Chikungunya, a virus spread by mosquito bites. He survived, but he still suffers pain related to the disease. 13In another case, the remains of a reindeer dead from anthrax were unearthed as the Siberian permafrost melted from warming in 2016. A child touched the dead animal, got anthrax, and an outbreak spread. 14Dr. Aaron Bernstein is with the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard School of Public Health. He and other outside experts said the study is a good warning about climate and health for now and the future. 15Bernstein added in an email. "But of course, it only reports on what we already know and what's yet unknown about pathogens may be yet more compelling about how preventing further climate change may prevent future disasters like COVID-19." 16I'm Caty Weaver. 17Seth Borenstein reported this story for The Associated Press. Hai Do adapted the story for Learning English. 18_______________________________________________________________________ 19Words in This Story 20drought - n. a long period with little or no rain 21spoil - v. to decay or lose freshness 22illustrate - v. to be proof or evidence 23enormous - adj. very great in size or amount 24consequence - n. something that happens as a result of action or condition 25pathogen - n. bacteria or virus that causes disease 26unique - adj. very special 27compelling - adj. very interesting