The impact of climate change on health
In recent years, the consequences of climate change have become more noticeable, either on the environment or on living beings. An example of the consequences of climate change is the rise in the average level of the sea, but there are also other effects that are equally or more serious than this one. Some of the more grave outcomes are related to health, explains Myriam Lopes, Professor at the University of Aveiro.
Em Revista (ER) – How can climate change affect the health of the Portuguese?
Myriam Lopes (ML) – Climate change affects many parameters that are related to health. Some of these parameters can be, for instance, specific conditions, such as heat waves. More sensitive people, such as older people and people with cardiovascular diseases, may be affected, leading to a greater number of deaths associated with these heat waves, not only by increasing the temperature, but also because this increase may cause greater air pollution.
If there is an increase of pollutants in the air, the people that breathe these pollutants are affected, especially those already suffering from respiratory diseases such as asthma and pulmonary diseases. When pollution increases, the more sensitive people suffer with this pollution. Then, there are also indirect factors by which climate change affects health. So when there are high temperatures, forest fires which are very common in the summer may occur, and these fires emit pollutants. People, who inhale these fumes, can have their health affected.
On the other hand, there is the opposite, such as cold waves. In very cold days, people tend to develop respiratory illnesses, such as colds and pneumonia, and there is also an increase in mortality and emergencies in hospitals.
ER – In what way can climate change contribute to the spread of infectious diseases?
ML – When the climate becomes warmer, ecosystems can be affected, namely the aquatic ecosystem, especially in lakes and rivers, and that tends to increase the production of bacteria, especially bacteria that produce toxins. If we practice a sport, and if we go bathing in a river beach, we can be affected by toxins. These toxins are neurotoxins that can cause the heart muscle to stop, leading to the collapse of the human body. Or they may be hepatotoxins, which are those that affect the liver and some organs and can also cause disease.
ER – Considering the climate changes expected in Portugal, are infectious diseases likely to increase?
ML – Yes, cases of infectious diseases are indeed expected to increase in Portugal. Some studies indicate, in general, that the whole Mediterranean area will be the most affected by temperature increase and reduced rainfall.
Draughts will occur, but in return, there will be periods of precipitation when it rains too much at once. Lately there have been major floods and overflowing. If the fields are contaminated with pesticides, these waters will be contaminated and will contaminate the water system and groundwater used for supply and thus, people are more at risk from suffering intestinal infections.
There is also another issue that has to do with the disease vectors. We have had malaria in this region and it has been eradicated, but with rising temperatures, vectors, that is, the insects that transmit malaria, are to appear again in southern Europe. There is a migration in latitude of these vectors towards the north and the diseases connected with the vectors begin to appear more frequently.
Infections should become more frequent
ER – Do you think that over the last few years there has already been an increase in diseases due to increased climate change?
ML – Eu penso que ainda há poucos estudos efetivos, tirando aqueles que eu mencionei, associados a vagas de frio e vagas de calor e em que há eI think there are few actual studies, apart from those I previously mentioned, associated with cold and heat waves and the concomitant exposure to pollution generated in these scenarios. It is there, that the mortality increase associated with these episodes is perfectly diagnosed.
Others are not yet well documented, but there are some inferences that, in fact, began to have some effects and some associated diseases, such as malaria, also begin to appear, statistically, in Portugal.
Sometimes it is also difficult to understand or make a direct association because we travel a lot now. Formerly, we were more sedentary. Today, the use of the plane somehow became trivial, ergo the transmission of these agents by import. People, when they travel, are infected in other countries and then come to Portugal and bring diseases that sometimes make the news, such as haemorrhagic fever, Ebola, which is a booming threat, the bird flu, and even make targeted vaccination campaigns. There are genetic changes in viruses and bacteria which cause new diseases to arise, which may have a climatic association.
In fact, there are many major studies, but not about this tropical diseases. Major evidence exists that refers to episodes in which it is easy to determine the association between extreme weather events and increased mortality compared with other years.
Therefore, these studies already exist, but in relation to other diseases, there is still a way to go in scientific development.
Myriam Lopes (ML) – Climate change affects many parameters that are related to health. Some of these parameters can be, for instance, specific conditions, such as heat waves. More sensitive people, such as older people and people with cardiovascular diseases, may be affected, leading to a greater number of deaths associated with these heat waves, not only by increasing the temperature, but also because this increase may cause greater air pollution.
If there is an increase of pollutants in the air, the people that breathe these pollutants are affected, especially those already suffering from respiratory diseases such as asthma and pulmonary diseases. When pollution increases, the more sensitive people suffer with this pollution. Then, there are also indirect factors by which climate change affects health. So when there are high temperatures, forest fires which are very common in the summer may occur, and these fires emit pollutants. People, who inhale these fumes, can have their health affected.
On the other hand, there is the opposite, such as cold waves. In very cold days, people tend to develop respiratory illnesses, such as colds and pneumonia, and there is also an increase in mortality and emergencies in hospitals.
ER – In what way can climate change contribute to the spread of infectious diseases?
ML – When the climate becomes warmer, ecosystems can be affected, namely the aquatic ecosystem, especially in lakes and rivers, and that tends to increase the production of bacteria, especially bacteria that produce toxins. If we practice a sport, and if we go bathing in a river beach, we can be affected by toxins. These toxins are neurotoxins that can cause the heart muscle to stop, leading to the collapse of the human body. Or they may be hepatotoxins, which are those that affect the liver and some organs and can also cause disease.
ER – Considering the climate changes expected in Portugal, are infectious diseases likely to increase?
ML – Yes, cases of infectious diseases are indeed expected to increase in Portugal. Some studies indicate, in general, that the whole Mediterranean area will be the most affected by temperature increase and reduced rainfall.
Draughts will occur, but in return, there will be periods of precipitation when it rains too much at once. Lately there have been major floods and overflowing. If the fields are contaminated with pesticides, these waters will be contaminated and will contaminate the water system and groundwater used for supply and thus, people are more at risk from suffering intestinal infections.
There is also another issue that has to do with the disease vectors. We have had malaria in this region and it has been eradicated, but with rising temperatures, vectors, that is, the insects that transmit malaria, are to appear again in southern Europe. There is a migration in latitude of these vectors towards the north and the diseases connected with the vectors begin to appear more frequently.
Infections should become more frequent
ER – Do you think that over the last few years there has already been an increase in diseases due to increased climate change?
ML – Eu penso que ainda há poucos estudos efetivos, tirando aqueles que eu mencionei, associados a vagas de frio e vagas de calor e em que há eI think there are few actual studies, apart from those I previously mentioned, associated with cold and heat waves and the concomitant exposure to pollution generated in these scenarios. It is there, that the mortality increase associated with these episodes is perfectly diagnosed.
Others are not yet well documented, but there are some inferences that, in fact, began to have some effects and some associated diseases, such as malaria, also begin to appear, statistically, in Portugal.
Sometimes it is also difficult to understand or make a direct association because we travel a lot now. Formerly, we were more sedentary. Today, the use of the plane somehow became trivial, ergo the transmission of these agents by import. People, when they travel, are infected in other countries and then come to Portugal and bring diseases that sometimes make the news, such as haemorrhagic fever, Ebola, which is a booming threat, the bird flu, and even make targeted vaccination campaigns. There are genetic changes in viruses and bacteria which cause new diseases to arise, which may have a climatic association.
In fact, there are many major studies, but not about this tropical diseases. Major evidence exists that refers to episodes in which it is easy to determine the association between extreme weather events and increased mortality compared with other years.
Therefore, these studies already exist, but in relation to other diseases, there is still a way to go in scientific development.
Work by: Ana Rita, Tiago e João Sousa
10th Grade
Escola Básica e Secundária da Sé (Middle School and High School), Lamego
This work was carried out under the Flash Seminar held on the 17th and the 24th of April 2015 and the 8th of May at Escola Básica e Secundária da Sé (Middle School and High School), in Lamego. Students developed media content based on interviews with experts in various fields related to climate change and research on the subject.
10th Grade
Escola Básica e Secundária da Sé (Middle School and High School), Lamego
This work was carried out under the Flash Seminar held on the 17th and the 24th of April 2015 and the 8th of May at Escola Básica e Secundária da Sé (Middle School and High School), in Lamego. Students developed media content based on interviews with experts in various fields related to climate change and research on the subject.