Global man-made changes increase disease transmission

2024/05/09 Etxebeste Aduriz, Egoitz - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

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A meta-study states that man-made global changes increase the transmission of infectious diseases in humans, animals and plants. Published in the journal Nature.

Nearly 3,000 observations have been analysed on the relationship between global changes and infectious diseases, both human, animal and plant. And they conclude that the factors that have increased the transmission of diseases are the loss of biodiversity, chemical pollution, climate change and invasive species. However, they have also seen that urbanization reduces disease transmission. Researchers believe this may be due to improved water quality, sanitation and hygiene and the loss of habitats for many pathogens such as bacteria and viruses.

Researchers have stressed that reducing the burden of human, animal and plant diseases involves reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preserving ecosystem health and preventing biodiversity loss and biological invasions, along with improving the social and economic factors associated with health.