The Climate Change and Zoonosis (Zoonotic Disease Prevention and Control)

기후변화와 인수공통전염병 관리

  • Jung, Suk-Chan (OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis National Veterinary Research & Quarantine Services)
  • Published : 2009.07.08

Abstract

The observations on climate change show a clear increase in the temperature of the Earth's surface and the oceans, a reduction in the land snow cover, and melting of the sea ice and glaciers. The effects of climate change are likely to include more variable weather, heat waves, increased mean temperature, rains, flooding and droughts. The threat of climate change and global warming on human and animal health is now recognized as a global issue. This presentation is described an overview of the latest scientific knowledge on the impact of climate change on zoonotic diseases. Climate strongly affects agriculture and livestock production and influences animal diseases, vectors and pathogens, and their habitat. Global warming are likely to change the temporal and geographical distribution of infectious diseases, including those that are vector-borne such as West Nile fever, Rift Valley fever, Japanese encephalitis, bluetongue, malaria and visceral leishmaniasis, and other diarrheal diseases. The distribution and prevalence of vector-borne diseases may be the most significant effect of climate change. The impact of climate change on the emergence and re-emergence of animal diseases has been confirmed by a majority of countries. Emerging zoonotic diseases are increasingly recognized as a global and regional issue with potential serious human health and economic impacts and their current upward trends are likely to continue. Coordinated international responses are therefore essential across veterinary and human health sectors, regions and countries to control and prevent emerging zoonoses. A new early warning and alert systems is developing and introducing for enhancing surveillance and response to zoonotic diseases. And international networks that include public health, research, medical and veterinary laboratories working with zoonotic pathogens should be established and strengthened. Facing this challenging future, the long-term strategies for zoonotic diseases that may be affected by climate change is need for better prevention and control measures in susceptible livestock, wildlife and vectors in Korea. In conclusion, strengthening global, regional and national early warning systems is extremely important, as are coordinated research programmes and subsequent prevention and control measures, and need for the global surveillance network essential for early detection of zoonotic diseases.

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