Climate Change and Public Health Lifespan of Mosquitoes

Question: (a) Current knowledge of impact of climate on the selected vector-borne disease (b) Any evidence of impact from climate change in recent past? (c) Projections of impact of climate change on vector-borne disease in the future? Describe and discuss the change in relative and absolute risks for one of the selected vector-borne disease? Answer: 1: (a) Malaria is generally a disease of the tropical and hot summer areas. Humidity and rainfall increases the lifespan of mosquitoes, which increases the potentiality of malaria distribution [1]. (b) With the changes in the climate, the distribution pattern off the disease is changing. In the Last decade of 20th century, the river-irrigated Punjab region of India (a highly malaria threatened country) had gone through a malaria epidemic [2]. Excessive rainfall and humidity was recognized as a major factor enhancing the infection. (c) With increased temperature, and changed distribution in rainfall the disease distribution will be changed [1]. 2: With overcrowding due to global warming will increase the absolute risk of the disease. On the other hand, there is a strong possibility of disease occurrence among the previously non-exposed areas. 2:1: To address this issue, prevention with the strategy of using the measures to reduce the chance of exposure, spread of infection can be taken. Moreover, health education and continuous research on the changing pattern of the infection and reducing the pollution rate is needed [2]. As, with development change in the climate cannot be restricted, people need to be self-aware. 2: With the recent epidemic of Ebola, it cannot be claimed that this issue can manage itself with the existing infrastructure. The future change pattern of environment and the characteristics of the infections are unknown; hence, the scope of research is limited [1]. However, with the adoption of various projects and self-awareness program, the potentiality of its self-management cannot be ignored. 3:1: The three factors are: Available information: with available information about the disease, harm manifestation can be obtained. Otherwise, prevention is the best approach. Health infrastructure: with good health infrastructure, prevention can be obtained. Mode of infection: if the disease has a character of spreading an epidemic, harm manifestation can best be utilized. On the other hand, with an epidemic characteristic, reducing the chance of clinical symptoms following infection via prevention is tough to execute [2]. 2: For the instance of malaria, information is available regarding the reduced exposure to the diseases and this particular diseases has a potentially of causing an epidemic, hence, harm manifestation will best be utilized. On the other hand, to some geographic areas, reducing the exposure cannot be executed and with its epidemic character the chance of infection clinical symptoms following infection cannot be obtained. References: Harley D, Bi P, Hall G, Swaminathan A, Tong S, Williams C. Climate change and infectious diseases in Australia: future prospects, adaptation options, and research priorities. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health. 2011 Mar 1;23(2 suppl):54S-66S. Rossati A, Bargiacchi O, Kroumova V, Zaramella M, Caputo A, Garavelli PL. Climate, environment and transmission of malaria. Le infezioni in medicina: rivista periodica di eziologia, epidemiologia, diagnostica, clinica e terapia delle patologie infettive. 2016 Jun 1;24(2):93.