G269(P) Increasing burden of the impact of climate change on paediatric infectious diseases

Abstract

Introduction Climate change refers to long-term shifts in weather conditions and patterns of extreme weather events, with recent earthquakes, natural disasters, there is epidemic and increase in many paediatric infectious diseases (PID) worldwide, including some newly-circulating ones, such as Zika virus and arbo-viruses in North America and the Caribbean, Ebola and Cholera outbreak in Africa, SIRS in middle east e.t.c. This reflects the combined impacts of rapid demographic, environmental, social, technological and other changes in our ways of living. Aims We reviewed the available scientific evidences of the impact of recent climate change on PID and also examines the observed and predicted impacts of changes in major climate variables on pathogen, host, and transmission of PID in order to estimate the future burden of infectious diseases on children. Methods We reviewed published and unpublished literature on climate change and PID. The data were mainly descriptive and we used predictive analytical modelling to assess the future burden. Findings We observed evidence of associations between climatic conditions and PID in children with different modality of transmission. The responsible agents identified were viruses, bacteria, protozoa and parasites, with various adaptations in the host. Increasing temperature was the most important contributing factor when compared with other natural disasters. There is a global resurgence of hitherto controlled diseases and the emergence of new ones with redistribution of existing infectious diseases due to an unstable climate. Many of the most common infectious diseases, and particularly those transmitted by vectors, are highly sensitive to climate variation. New and resurgent vector-borne communicable diseases, including arbo-viruses, such as dengue, Zika and Ebola, and malaria are evident widely. Other infectious diseases, such cholera have shown increased outbreaks due to elevated temperature and flooding with the resultant displacement of affected people. Conclusions Changes in infectious disease transmission patterns are a likely major consequence of climate change. There is need for a better understanding of the causal relationships, in order to predict the future impacts of this on children’s health. In addition, paediatrician are likely to see an increasing number of cases due to adverse effects of climate change. An international collaborative effort with an integrated model of care is therefore required.