Malaria will spread in Europe and the Mediterranean
Scientific studies have shown that climate change threatens the health of the people. Among other things, because there is an increased spread of serious infectious diseases. In a new study, it is now shown how Malaria is spreading in Europe.
The fight against Malaria has Stalled
“In the last few years we have made great progress in the fight against Malaria,” explained the Director-General of the world health organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, two years ago, in a press release. The experts pointed out at the time, however, the fact that the fight against infectious disease in different countries and regions of the world Stalled and, therefore, in the future, a great return of Malaria is possible. Also in Europe and the Mediterranean region Malaria are mosquito-transmitted species due to climate change continue to spread.
Anopheles-friendly weather conditions
One aspect of climate change that took place in the public debate, yet little attention is the spread of so-called vector-borne diseases, i.e., diseases, a pathogen carrying organism to be transferred.
As the University of Augsburg declared in a information service research (idw) published a communication, includes, for example, Malaria, which is transmitted by Anopheles, a mosquito genus.
According to the University, the increasing Emergence could Anopheles-friendly weather conditions to the spread of these mosquitoes and, consequently, lead to an emergence of Malaria in Europe and the Mediterranean.
Spread of malaria mosquitoes in the direction of the North
So far, but it was not possible to predict accurately how exactly is this spread look and at what pace they could go.
The Geographer Dr. Elke Hertig, of the University of Augsburg has now submitted a model, the more precise statements possible.
With the geostatistical approach of boosted regression tree, BRT, modeled the scientist the Occurrence of mosquitoes in Europe by the end of this century.
In the in the journal “Parasites & Vectors“, published study Hertig to the conclusion that changes in temperature and precipitation mosquitoes to a significant Spread of Malaria in the direction of the North, will lead.
Favorable to the insects, in particular, the expected warmer spring temperatures, as well as the heavier precipitation in summer and autumn.
According to the figures, the most significant increases in the mosquito populations towards the end of our century in South and South – Eastern Europe are to be expected.
Only in individual areas of the Mediterranean basin, for the decreasing amounts of precipitation are predicted, will decrease the mosquitoes occur accordingly. (ad)