global warming and infectious diseases

The changes in the environment’s climate is influencing the spread of infectious diseases. The ice caps are melting causing floods and higher water levels. This increases the population of insects, like mosquitos, that carry and transmit these illnesses. Vector Borne illnesses can be carried and transmitted by mosquitos and ticks.

In developing countries, their water and food supply, and sewage systems are not as well established and contribute to contaminated water. This also increases the chance of spreading disease through food and water contamination. Food borne infectious diseases, contribute to dehydration from diarrhea. Which weakens the immune system leaving the body more susceptible to disease and illness. (Kurane, 2010)

In addition, the pollution is contributing to more complications with pre-existing medical conditions like asthma and heart disease. Chronic health issues, automatically weaken the immune system, leaving the body at a higher risk for contracting these infectious diseases.

These factors contribute to a higher infection and mortality rate. The more people getting sick, the more hosts, to contribute to the fast. I have never come across anyone contaminated with these diseases that I know of.

Although there are not vaccines or cures for every disease we can implement and encourage proper hygiene practices in public places. We can raise awareness for the importance of proper hand washing practices and ways to prevent cross contamination. we can post the proper steps to washing in the bathrooms and near public spaces. We can have hand sanitizer available in public areas and create extra city jobs that are especially made for sanitizing public doorknobs and handles.

We can provide bug repellents in local parts and work on natural ways to combat the rise of mosquitos and ticks. Perhaps there are predators of these creatures we could release in these problem areas. This could be a natural way of controlling the mosquito population without pesticides.

We could also increase the tests we perform on blood that is used for transfusions and encourage safe sex practices. Tests for diseases like Zika should be added to the list when patients are tested for STD’s. (CDC, May 2019)

Prevention and Transmission.(2019) Centers for Disease control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dvbd/index.html

Kurane, I. (2010). The Effect of Global Warming on Infectious Disease. Public Health Res Perspect 2010. Elsevier. Doi: 10.1016/j.phrp.2010.12.004

assignment details:

Spend some time reading your colleagues’ post then critically analyze

What do you agree with?
Where do you disagree?
What more could have been added?