Zoonotic infections in Alaska: disease prevalence, potential impact of climate change and recommended actions for earlier disease detection, research, prevention and control

Abstract

Over the last 60 years, Alaska's mean annual temperature has increased by 1.6°C, more than twice the rate of the rest of the United States. As a result, climate change impacts are more pronounced here than in other regions of the United States. Warmer temperatures may allow some infected host animals to survive winters in larger numbers, increase their population and expand their range of habitation thus increasing the opportunity for transmission of infection to humans. Subsistence hunting and gathering activities may place rural residents of Alaska at a greater risk of acquiring zoonotic infections than urban residents. Known zoonotic diseases that occur in Alaska include brucellosis, toxoplasmosis, trichinellosis, giardiasis/cryptosporidiosis, echinococcosis, rabies and tularemia. Actions for early disease detection, research and prevention and control include: (1) determining baseline levels of infection and disease in both humans and host animals; (2) conducting more research to understand the ecology of infection in the Arctic environment; (3) improving active and passive surveillance systems for infection and disease in humans and animals; (4) improving outreach, education and communication on climate-sensitive infectious diseases at the community, health and animal care provider levels; and (5) improving coordination between public health and animal health agencies, universities and tribal health organisations.

Global Distribution of Alveolar and Cystic Echinococcosis

“…Overall, incidence of CE in people declined significantly in the latter half of the 20th century, which is attributed to the phasing out of sled dogs in Alaska, pathogen reduction in countries of origin for immigrants (e.g., Iceland, New Zealand), the development of cestocidal treatments, and the introduction of control measures in livestock in endemic foci (Katz and Pan, 1958;Loveless et al, 1978;Rausch, 2003). In Alaska, where CE is reportable, 193 cases were reported prior to 1980, but only eight cases were reported after 1990 (Hueffer et al, 2013). A comprehensive review of case reports between 1900 and 1974 identified 123 cases of autochthonous CE in the contiguous United States (Pappaioanou et al, 1977).…”

Effect of Climatic Changes on Spatial Distribution of Zoonoses: A Case Study from South Khorasan Province, Iran

“…Some populations were influenced by climatic changes such as droughts and famines and some other factors such as decreased agricultural lands, increased food-borne diseases, water-borne diseases, vectorborne diseases, and increased death and diseases caused by air pollution also affected humans (3,12,13). Since air pollution significantly influences the human respiratory system, the effect of indoor and outdoor air pollution on the human respiratory system is investigated extensively (11). Generally, diseases that are transmissible from vertebrates to humans are called zoonosis.…”

“…The probable role of climate change in human health status, especially in terms of occurrence and severity of diseases, is an extensive field of study, which can be even more complicated and specialized every year (10). Air temperature and air pollution (CO, NO, NO 2 , SO 2 , O 3 ) are of the remarkable human health indicators and higher levels of SO 2 and CO can significantly affect circulatory and skin diseases (11). Till 2008 the residents of some areas of the world were displaced due to sea level rise.…”

Establishing a definition of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) health: A guide to research and management activities

“…The breadth and topics covered by this research have varied; however, there has been modest focus on health and little is known about disease and health status in polar bears (Fagre et al, unpublished results;Hueffer et al, 2011Hueffer et al, , 2013Letcher et al, 2010;Sonne, 2010;Sonne et al, 2012;Vongraven et al, 2012). Vongraven et al (2012) outlined a circumpolar monitoring framework for polar bears and specifically noted the importance of monitoring population health.…”