Favorable Conditions: How Climate Change Impacts Infectious Disease Dynamics in Circumpolar Regions Public
Carter, Jasmine (Spring 2021)
Published
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To locate previously published research on the actual and potential role of climate change in increasing exposure to emerging/re-emerging diseases among human populations within arctic regions, especially neglected tropical diseases and vector-borne diseases.
BACKGROUND: Climate change poses a threat to human health in circumpolar regions. Shifts in temperature and precipitation patterns could create conditions that contribute to pathogen, vector, and reservoir persistence in new areas, increasing the potential for human exposure to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, especially zoonotic, parasitic, and vector-borne diseases. The detrimental effects of climate change on these diseases could impact indigenous populations disproportionately, given the relationship of these communities with the land.
METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed of peer-reviewed literature published from 2000-2021 in PubMed and Web of Science. Search terms such as “zoonotic diseases OR zoonoses,” “vector borne diseases,” “tick borne OR tick OR mosquito borne OR mosquito,” “parasitic diseases OR parasite,” “neglected tropical diseases,” and “infectious diseases OR communicable diseases,” were used and combined with “AND” connectors to terms related to circumpolar location and climate/environmental factors. The articles were uploaded into Covidence, and findings from the final selected articles were entered into a matrix and organized by disease category.
RESULTS: Of 161 articles identified and uploaded for selection, 48 studies were determined to fit all of the selection criteria for inclusion. Of those, 43 studies focused on infectious diseases, and five were studies of the impact of climate/environmental factors and infectious diseases on indigenous populations. The most common disease groups researched were vector-borne diseases and zoonotic diseases. Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and Lyme Disease were considered the emerging diseases of most concern, while anthrax was described as a main re-emerging disease for circumpolar populations. There were fewer studies about Neglected Tropical Diseases, which were discussed as potentially re-emerging in the arctic regions. Some studies also examined antimicrobial-resistant pathogens and fungal diseases as possible emerging diseases. Only limited research was found addressing the risk for enhanced climate change driven transmission of diseases among indigenous communities.
CONCLUSION: The findings of this systematic literature review indicated that vector-borne diseases, primarily TBE and Lyme Disease, were prominent emerging diseases for circumpolar regions. More research is needed to determine the potential for emergence/re-emergence of other specific diseases in these regions to prepare communities to control such disease threats. In addition, the presence of indigenous voices in global conversations regarding the effects of a changing arctic environment on health and well-being needs to be increased.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................1
1.1 Problem Statement........................................................................................................2
1.2 Purpose Statement.........................................................................................................3
1.3 Significance Statement..................................................................................................3
1.4 Definition of Terms.......................................................................................................4
Chapter 2: Background....................................................................................................................5
2.1 Climate Change and Infectious Diseases......................................................................5
2.1.1 Special Interest: Vector-Borne Diseases........................................................6
2.1.2 Special Interest: Neglected Tropical Diseases...............................................7
2.2 Indigenous Populations and Climate Change...............................................................9
2.3 Current Circumpolar Disease Research and Surveillance Efforts..............................10
Chapter 3: Methods........................................................................................................................12
3.1 Initial Study Selection Criteria....................................................................................12
3.2 Search Terms...............................................................................................................13
3.3 Data Synthesis.............................................................................................................14
3.4 Ethical Approval.........................................................................................................15
Chapter 4: Results..........................................................................................................................16
4.1 Regions of Study.........................................................................................................18
4.2 Impact of Climate and Latitude on Diseases of Interest.............................................18
4.3 Diseases of Interest, By Transmission Category........................................................21
4.3.1 Zoonotic Diseases........................................................................................21
Anthrax.....................................................................................................21
Rabies.......................................................................................................23
Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae....................................................................24
Hantavirus................................................................................................25
Avian Influenza........................................................................................25
Cat Scratch Disease..................................................................................26
4.3.2 Vector-Borne Diseases................................................................................26
Tick-Borne Encephalitis...........................................................................27
Lyme Disease...........................................................................................29
Candidatus Neoehrlichia Mikurensis.......................................................31
Tularemia..................................................................................................31
Multiple Tick-Borne Pathogens................................................................32
Multiple Mosquito-Borne Pathogens........................................................34
4.3.3 Parasitic Diseases.........................................................................................35
Trichinellosis.............................................................................................35
Toxoplasmosis...........................................................................................36
Multiple Parasitic Diseases.......................................................................37
4.3.4 Other Notable Diseases................................................................................38
Antimicrobial Resistance...........................................................................38
Mycoses.....................................................................................................40
4.3.5 Multiple Diseases Across Different Transmission Categories.....................41
Zoonotic, Parasitic, and Vector-Borne Diseases.......................................41
Bacterial Diseases of Different Transmission Types................................42
Vector-Borne Parasitic and Bacterial Diseases.......................................42
4.4 Impact of Climate on Indigenous Populations..........................................................43
4.4.1 Canada........................................................................................................43
4.4.2 Alaska.........................................................................................................45
Chapter 5: Discussion....................................................................................................................47
5.1 Key Diseases of Public Health Importance in Circumpolar Regions........................47
5.1.1 Re-Emerging Disease: Anthrax..................................................................48
5.1.2 Emerging Diseases: Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Lyme Disease..............49
5.1.3 Potential Re-Emerging Diseases: Neglected Tropical Diseases.................51
5.1.4 Potential Emerging Diseases: Antimicrobial Resistance and Fungal Pathogens..............................................................................................................53
5.2 Indigenous Populations and Climate-Sensitive Infectious Diseases..........................55
5.3 Limitations..................................................................................................................57
Chapter 6: Implications/Recommendations...................................................................................59
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