[EQ] Global Climate Change - Extreme Weather Events: Understanding Potential Contributions to Emergence, Reemergence, and Spread of Infectious Disease

Global Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events:
Understanding the Potential Contributions to the Emergence, Reemergence, and Spread of Infectious Disease

Workshop Summary

Rapporteurs: David A. Relman, Margaret A. Hamburg,Eileen R. Choffnes, and Alison Mack

Forum on Microbial Threats Board on Global Health

US National Academy of Sciences Press,  2008

 

Available online at: http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12435

 

Long before the “germ theory” of disease was described, late in the nineteenth century, humans knew that climatic conditions influence the appearance and spread of epidemic diseases. Ancient notions about the effects of weather and climate on disease remain embedded in our collective consciousness—through expressions such as “cold” for rhinovirus infections; “malaria,” derived from the Latin for “bad air;” and the common complaint of feeling “under the weather.”

 

Today, evidence is mounting that earth’s climate is changing at a faster rate than previously appreciated, leading researchers to view the longstanding relationships between climate and disease with new urgency and from a global perspective. On December 4 and 5, 2007, the Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a public workshop in Washington, DC to consider the possible infectious disease impacts of global climate change and extreme weather events on human, animal, and plant health, as well as their expected implications for global and national security.

Content:

1 Climate Change Challenges

Climate Change, Extreme Events, and Human Health

Climate Change and Human Health

Climate Change Futures: Health, Ecological, and Economic Dimensions

Impacts of Global Climate Change on Infectious Diseases

2 Climate, Ecology, and Infectious Disease

The Marine Environment and Human Health: The Cholera Model

Extreme Weather and Epidemics: Rift Valley Fever and Chikungunya Fever

Plague and Climate

Climate Change and Plant Disease Risk

Climate Change and Infectious Disease: Impact on Human Populations in the Arctic

3 Historical, Scientific, and Technological Approaches to Studying the Climate-Disease Connection

Drought, Epidemic Disease, and Massive Population Loss: 1,000 Years of Record in Mexico

Wildlife Health as an Indicator of Climate Change

Use of Climate Variation in Vector-Borne Disease Decision Support Systems

4 Policy Implications of the Health Effects of Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events

Influences of Migration and Population Mobility

Climate Change, Infectious Disease, and International Public Health Policy

 

 

 

 

 *      *     *

This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues.  [DD/ KMS Area]

“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAHO/WHO Website
Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html

 

 

    IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering this transmission to the intended recipient, you may not disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission in error, please notify us immediately by email to infosec@paho.org, and please dispose of and delete this transmission. Thank you.