Pathogenesis and ToxinsClimate changes, environment and infection: Facts, scenarios and growing awareness from the public health community within Europe
Section snippets
Climate changes
Climate change is a current global concern and, despite continuing controversy about its cause and the magnitude of its effects, it seems likely that climate change will affect the incidence and prevalence of both indigenous and imported infections in Europe. Climate restricts the range of infectious diseases, whereas weather affects the timing and intensity of outbreaks. Climate change scenarios predict a change distribution of infectious diseases with warming and changes in outbreaks
Endemic or imported infectious diseases in Europe?
Cases of cholera have been imported to Europe from Kenya [1], where the recent spreading epidemic has been linked to the El Niño phenomenon, which originates in the Pacific Ocean! Human migration and damage to health infrastructures from the projected increase in climate variability could indirectly contribute to disease transmission. Human susceptibility to infections might be further compounded by malnutrition due to climate stress on agriculture and potential alterations in the human immune
Climate changes, weather and heatweaves
Heat waves are important causes of mortality. The deaths seen in France in 2003 from a heat wave are projected to be repeated, as heat waves become more severe. However, heat waves impact on the transmission and severity of infectious diseases has not been elucidated.
Scientific challenges include the elucidation of climate changes and extreme weather conditions impact on infection transmission and outcome, human immune system changes and infection response, outbreak scenarios, animal and plant
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