Scientists use climate, population changes to predict diseases

British scientists say they have developed a model that can predict outbreaks of zoonotic diseases – those such as Ebola and Zika that jump from animals to humans – based on changes in climate.

Describing their model as “a major improvement in our understanding of the spread of diseases from animals to people”, the researchers said it could help governments prepare for and respond to disease outbreaks, and to factor in their risk when making policies that might affect the environment, according to Reuters.

“Our model can help decision-makers assess the likely impact (on zoonotic disease) of any interventions or change in national or international government policies, such as the conversion of grasslands to agricultural lands,” said Kate Jones, a professor.

The model also has the potential to look at the impact of global change on many diseases at once, she said.

Around 60 to 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases are so-called “zoonotic events”, where animal diseases jump into people. Bats in particular are known to carry many zoonotic viruses.

The Ebola and Zika viruses, now well known, both originated in wild animals, as did many others including Rift Valley fever and Lassa fever that affect thousands already and are predicted to spread with changing environmental factors.

Jones’ team used the locations of 408 known Lassa fever outbreaks in West Africa between 1967 and 2012 and the changes in land use and crop yields, temperature and rainfall, behavior and access to health care.

They also identified the sub-species of the multimammate rat that transmits Lassa virus to humans, to map its location against ecological factors.

The model was then developed using this information along with forecasts of climate change, future population density and land-use change.

The study, published in the journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution, tested the model with Lassa and found the number of infected people will double to 406,000 by 2070 from some 195,000 due to climate change and a growing human population.

H.Z

 

You might also like
Latest news
Foreign Ministry strongly condemns the latest wave of Israeli attacks on Syria A ship, carrying 147 heavy vehicles, arrives at Lattakia port to support Syria's transport sector Israeli occupation fires artillery shells on Tal al-Jumu' area in Daraa, makes incursion into Sad al... Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam congratulates Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa on Eid Al-Fitr More than 14 Israeli airstrikes target Hama military airport and the Scientific Research Center in D... Anticipated meeting between Presidents al-Sharaa and Trump in Saudi Arabia next month Governor of Hama visits families in displacement camps in Syria's northern region on the occasion of... Syrian faces South Sudan in the Arab Cup qualifiers German Foreign Ministry welcomes the formation of the new Syrian government  Ukraine Welcomes the Formation of the New Syrian Government Israeli occupation kills and injures dozens of Palestinians in Gaza during the past 24 hours Charities in Homs arry out Humanitarian Initiatives for Orphaned Children and Elderly Israeli Occupation detains a citizen from Koya village in Daraa Al-Shibani: Growing international support for new Syrian government will help lift sanctions, suppor... Dujarric: UN Special Envoy for Syria encourages Syrian authorities' efforts towards credible, inclus... Heads of Christian communities in Aleppo congratulate the Governor on Eid al-Fitr Landmine explosion injures 7 people in Aleppo countryside UK Minister for Middle East meets with representatives of Syrian civil society Jordan and Syria have signed 88 contracts in the joint Free Zone since the beginning of 2025 German Channel Documents Israeli Occupation Forces' violations and Incursions into Buffer Zone