The battle against diseases driven by climate change is being waged by scientists
"We're detectable by their sense of smell," states Dr. Clare Strode.
She is meticulously transporting a wire enclosure filled with mosquitoes around her laboratory in north-west England, specifically in Lancashire. These particular insects are Aedes aegypti, one of two types recognized for their ability to carry and spread the dengue virus. They do this by biting and infecting millions of individuals globally.
These specific mosquitoes, housed in a lab, are free of any infections and are confined within a cage. Most of them gravitate towards the mesh wall nearest to the researcher, indicating their hunger.
Clare is researching bugs to comprehend how dengue is transmitted globally, and the role climate change plays in accelerating this dispersion.
Top officials are convening in Dubai for COP28, the most recent session of the UN's global climate discussions. Specialists indicate that global warming is presently significantly impacting worldwide health.
Sunday marks the inaugural "health day" in any climate COP since its inception in 1995. Maria Neira, who heads the Department of Climate, Environment, and Health at the World Health Organization, stated, "The focus on health in the COP discussions is long overdue. This is because it is a matter of urgency.
Further information on the COP28 climate conference
Dengue, typically a tropical disease, has made its way to Europe in recent years. Additionally, a mosquito associated with dengue, known as the Asian tiger mosquito, has been detected in monitoring traps in Kent, UK.
This all serves as proof of insects adjusting to fresh climates and habitats. The hotter, more humid conditions associated with climate change are aiding certain mosquitoes, which spread diseases, to flourish.
However, scientists are resisting. They are incorporating insect monitoring with climate predictions to devise methods to anticipate and get ready for upcoming disease outbreaks.
Scientists assert that anticipating potential future outbreak locations can potentially save countless lives. A project, supported by the Wellcome Trust, is currently creating these forecasting tools in 12 different nations. The concept is that prevention surpasses treatment.
Dr. Rachel Lowe, the head of the global health resilience team at the Barcelona Supercomputer Centre in Spain, clarified: "We're utilizing satellite imagery, gathering information from drones and weather detectors."
Incorporating this data along with findings from field researchers studying mosquitoes, she explained, enhances our comprehension of how alterations in weather patterns and land utilization have influenced diseases transmitted by insects.
The research is focused on examining weather trends, locating stagnant water bodies where mosquitoes multiply, and observing other factors that contribute to an epidemic. The objective is to establish preemptive alert systems to assist communities in their preparation.
The groundwork could involve a public health initiative encouraging individuals to use bug spray for protection, educating health professionals, or even augmenting local garbage pickup to reduce stagnant water where disease-spreading mosquitoes breed.
Mosquitoes are evolving. In nations where illnesses such as malaria and dengue are prevalent, global warming can extend the periods of heightened risk.
"Observations from other parts of the globe serve as a caution for what's in store for the UK in times ahead," Clare remarks. "These mosquitoes have now made southern Europe their home.
These insects are incredibly versatile. They can adjust their actions and even their physical functions to suit any environment they inhabit. They've even discovered ways to endure winters underground in chillier climates.
She asserts that if we persist on this path without significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, our climate will turn more favorable for these mosquitoes. They'll be capable of enduring our winters.
Worldwide, the count of dengue cases reported to the World Health Organization has significantly escalated over the past twenty years. In 2000, the reported cases were half a million, and by 2023, this number surged to 4.5 million cases.
Typically, this ailment is not severe, resulting in a high temperature for about a week, with most individuals recovering. However, in nations that already had high prevalence of the illness, the strain on healthcare systems is escalating. Earlier this year in Bangladesh, an outbreak related to unusually heavy monsoon rains and unclean, still water where mosquitoes thrive, led to almost 1,000 fatalities.
Dr Dung Phung, a researcher at the University of Queensland who also serves as a clinician at a hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam, has reported that the country is currently witnessing disease outbreaks in hilly areas where it has not been previously recorded.
The healthcare system is increasingly strained, with it now being more frequent for several patients to occupy a single bed.
The medical practitioner and scientist is participating in a preliminary alert system known as E-Dengue. It is currently in the initial stage with the goal of forecasting epidemics two months ahead of time. The subsequent stage will transform it into a publicly accessible software system and internet application.
"He explains that this allows us to galvanize the community into taking proactive steps, instead of waiting for a disaster to occur."
Predictive health modeling
The concept underpinning these preliminary alert mechanisms is to amalgamate information from numerous origins to create a detailed depiction of the relationship between weather patterns and the spread of diseases.
Weather stations collect precise terrestrial meteorological data, drones assist in locating mosquito breeding areas, and researchers obtain information from local communities and health authorities.
A high-capacity supercomputer utilizes this information to construct forecast models. This method is currently being implemented in a project known as Harmonize. Presently, it is undergoing trials in several countries such as Brazil, Columbia, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. Importantly, it is anticipated that this system can be modified and deployed globally wherever it is required.
Rachel states that the objective of these predictive instruments is to avert the onset of diseases and to distribute resources more efficiently to the most needy areas, leading to financial savings and preservation of lives.
In the United Kingdom, health safety authorities are proactively implementing protective steps. They have set up mosquito traps at key locations such as airports and seaports to check if mosquitoes that carry dengue are making their way into the nation.
Clare performs some of this task – utilizing a technique known as DNA barcoding to determine the species of mosquito discovered in those traps.
If you had informed me at the beginning that I would be monitoring dengue mosquitoes in the UK, I would have been utterly astonished.
"We've observed the news originating from nations in Europe and North America, it's no longer unexpected."
Is a health day at COP going to have an impact?
However, specialists concur that since climate change is deeply linked to human health, the best preventative strategy would be to reduce emissions.
"Healthcare should be the focal point of all discussions related to climate change," asserts Rachel. "Moreover, we must guarantee that the strategies for climate change are framed considering both health and fairness as their core."
Clare stated, "There's a direct correlation between our health and our climate, which is evident in diseases carried by mosquitoes. This issue is only set to grow, not disappear. Therefore, any increase in attention, funds, and focus on these matters is appreciated."
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