Reported at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6981476.stm is one of the real fears of climate change consequences. Climate conditions change just a little for new diseases to begin to invade new areas. "A debilitating tropical virus carried by mosquitoes has become established in Europe for the first time." This is a clear enough statement. This is not a cyclical effect but a sign of the times. Even more worrying is the statement "... the Italian outbreak was a world first outside the tropics. " and the punch line "There is no vaccine against chikungunya. "
2007-09-06 03:46:37 · 16 answers · asked by oldhombre 6 in Environment ➔ Global Warming
And for afratta, DDT is accepted in the tropics as the lesser of two evils not because of mosquitos themselves (the vectors which have been present for a long time) but because of the viability of the virus in the "new" climate which is the real issue here.
2007-09-06 04:02:59 · update #1
Interesting it says the "first" time found outside of tropics. There was a mini out-brake in Florida not that long ago.
Also the Romans encountered Malaria in East Anglia when they were there. Sort of implies the conditions suited the species of Mosquitoes that carry it, back then, but haven't since. Maybe they'll be back in the future.
It got colder until a certain point then started warming up. Implies there's a cycle. So climate change does happen. Don't know quite how much of it due to human active.
A big problem with many theories about global warming, is they don't offer a solution which explains why the other planets in the solar system are heating up to. The Sun doesn't seem to be outputting more heat, so what's going on.
2007-09-06 04:07:34 · answer #1 · answered by Steve C 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Malaria was endemic throughout the United States. Draining swamps and applying DDT (among other anti-mosquito chemicals) virtually eliminated malaria throughout the US. Malaria existed in temperate (even cold areas) well before global warming, it will exist well past global warming.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaria
Malaria and other mosquito borne diseases will not reappear because of warming, they will reappear when humans stop aggressively killing the mosquitoes that carry the diseases.
Chikungunya is spread by two differnt mosquito vectors at this time, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopuctus.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chikungunya
Aedes aegypti appears to be a mosquito that is bound to tropical areas, and as far as I know, Ravenna is not yet a tropical region.
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aedes_aegypti
Aedes albopictus is an invasive species that has spread throughout the world and is able to survive in a wide variety of climates, even cold mountainous areas.
link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aedes_albopictus
Not being an epidemiologist, I would venture that the likely vector for the Italian outbreak of chikungunya is likely caused by A. albopictus, since it has a far wider spread than A. aegypti. This sort of outbreak was waiting to happen as soon as the virus mutated so that A. albopictus could carry it. This is not a sign of spreading disease due to global warming, but rather a reminder that humans need to be aggressive in the control of mosquitoes.
2007-09-06 06:15:31 · answer #2 · answered by Marc G 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Malaria was once a common ailment throughout Southern Europe and much of the Southeastern USA. This is not a new thing and the spreading of diseases like this into new regions is more likely a function of international travel and trade rather than some catastrophic climate change.
2007-09-06 06:53:36 · answer #3 · answered by thegubmint 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
More likely, a carrier or multiple carriers of the disease immigrating to Europe from already infected regions of the Globe are the source of your "established" pool. Import enough infected people, and local mosquitoes start carrying the "tropical" virus.
If you don't know the vectors of infection, you can blame anything you want - and most people these days want to blame Global Warming for EVERYTHING.
Of course, to blame the immigrants carrying the disease would be racist - so if it eases your conscience, blame Global Warming. It's not like you're going to be able to do anything about EITHER problem!
2007-09-06 04:02:12 · answer #4 · answered by jbtascam 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I recently wrote an article stating that perhaps because people don't know the answer i.e. how to deal with it, they are in denial...
It's all very sad - the planet is their home and so many people don't care at all!
Climate Change is Nature's way of fighting back I suppose.
Apparently, in the UK, we could switch to NPower Juice for elec and gas supplies but most people when asked said they don't care about green energy. Even when it was explained to them they could save between £35 & £65.00 a year, they still weren't interested.
What is going on in this world today?
(Some) (Most???) people are so tuned out!
2007-09-06 11:37:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
climate replace ~ load of rubbish. purely ought to examine the Bible to appreciate that the Earth has been heating & cooling for hundreds of years. The Earth won't flow away because of the fact each and every of the ice in Antarctica is meant to soften because of the fact the earth is getting warmer ~ God gave his sign of the rainbow after Noah's Ark so we'd all remember His promise that He could in no way flood the earth lower back. this is an incredible promoting ploy ~ somewhat making somebody/companies a good number of money. Scientists will attempt to sell us something. xxx God Bless
2016-12-16 12:58:57 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Banning DDT caused 20+ million deaths. Talk about genocide!!!
And as to worrying about mosquitos in upper lattitudes . . . ever been to the woods in summer????? Geez!
Its not like its the first time a disease migrated. The Little Ice Age catalyzed the spread of the bubonic plague.
2007-09-06 04:57:55 · answer #7 · answered by traderbobhn 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Maybe, but then there was a time when cold brought in a disease that killed 1/4th the population of Europe.
Prove the deniers wrong. Just plot out the climate temps for the next 5 years and show us how you got to that conclusion. If time proves you right, then who can be a doubter anymore?
2007-09-06 03:56:40 · answer #8 · answered by Dr Jello 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
It is has very likely happened before and was undiagnosed, stop fretting about climate change, it is the new cause celebre, any actions that you might take will not affect the climate, it is a continuous and slow evolutionary process that if the dinosuars couldn't stop it, (and i am sure they didn't start it! ) no Guardian readers, Greens or members of the BBC will stop it.If you want to talk about recycling , thats a totally different scenario.
2007-09-06 04:00:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
well i live in south west Devon and theres been mosquito's here for years.
but they don,t seem to bite.
we have a small dock here and a lot of ships from all over the world arrive here every day.
i always thought that maybe the mosquito's come off the ships
2007-09-06 04:01:45 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋