WORLD HEALTH DAY2014

Dr.T.V.Rao MD

Dr.T.V.Rao MD 1

We are all one on WORLD HEALTH DAY

•World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April every year to mark the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948. Each year a theme is selected that highlights a priority area of public health. The Day provides an opportunity for individuals in every community to get involved in activities that can lead to better health.Dr.T.V.Rao MD 2

The theme of World Health Day 2014 “Vector-borne diseases”.

• Disease spreading vectors like mosquitoes (malaria, dengue fever, filarial, chikungunya, yellow fever ), ticks, bugs, sand flies, snails are also spotlighted by the WHO to make the world free from a wide range of diseases caused by parasites and pathogens. It provides better prevention and cure from the vector-borne diseases spread by vectors and travellers from one country to other. WHO supports various health authorities on global basis to make their own efforts for the public health problems to enhance better life without any diseases.

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What are Vectors•Vectors are living organisms that can transmit

infectious diseases between humans or from animals to humans

•Vector-borne diseases are one of the greatest contributors to human mortality and morbidity in tropical settings and beyond. Although significant progress is being made in combating some diseases such as malaria, lymphatic filariasis and Chagasdisease, other diseases such as dengue continue to spread at an alarming pace

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Definitions • Vector-borne disease (VBD)

= an illness caused by an infectious microorganism (pathogen) that is transmitted to people by a vector, usually arthropods

• Arthropod = an invertebrate animal having an exoskeleton (e.g. insects or arachnids)

• Small creatures – Bring threat

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• Types of VBD transmission

– Anthroponotic infections

• Mosquitoes (Malaria), Ticks (Lyme disease)

– Zoonotic infections

• Rodents (plague), Birds (Q-fever)

• Types of VBD transmission• Anthroponotic infections

• Mosquitoes (Malaria), Ticks (Lyme disease)

Definitions

Vector

Humans

Humans

VectorVector Vector

Animals

Animals

Humans

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Definitions•Common (arthropod) vectors

• Ticks• Mosquitoes• Sand-flies

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Vectors spread diseases

•Mosquitoes, flies, ticks, bugs and freshwater snails can spread diseases that cause serious illness and death.

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50% of population is at risk

•More than half of the world’s population is at risk of these diseases. Increased travel, trade and migration make even more people vulnerable.

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VBD & climate change

•Climate change will affect the distribution of VBD in three ways: •directly, by the effect on virus/parasite

development and vector competence• indirectly, by the effect on the range and

abundance of the species that act as vectors• indirectly, through socio-economic changes that

affect the amount of human contact with the transmission cycles

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VBD & climate change

•Most important climate factors•Temperature•Precipitation

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Temperature effects

•Vector –Survival decrease/increase

depending on the species–Changes in rate of vector

population growth–Changes in the

susceptibility of vectors to some pathogens

–Changes in feeding rate and host contact

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Temperature effects• Example

–Summer: more days with higher temperature• Longer lifespan

• Longer reproduction period

• Longer activity period

–Winter: less days with low temperature• Benefits overwintering

• Shorter overwintering

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Temperature effects

• Pathogen • Decreased extrinsic

incubation period of pathogen in vector at higher temperatures

• Changes in the transmission season

• Changes in geographical distribution

• Decreased viral replication

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Precipitation effects• Vector •Survival: increased rain may increase larval habitat •Excess rain can eliminate habitat by flooding•Low rainfall can create habitat as rivers dry into pools (dry season mosquitoes)•Decreased rain can increase container-breeding mosquitoes by forcing increased water storage

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Precipitation effects• Vector (continued)

• Heavy rainfall events can synchronize vector host-seeking and virus transmission

• Increased humidity increases vector survival and vice-vers

• Pathogen• Few direct effects but some

data on humidity effects on parasite development

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Summary effects climate change

•Climate change has the potential to

• Increase range or abundance of animal reservoirs and/or arthropod vectors

• Enhance transmission • Increase importation of

vectors or pathogens • Every Human at Risk

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Diseases are Preventable•Diseases such as malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis and yellow fever are preventable, yet they have the biggest impact on some of the world’s poorest people. Dr.T.V.Rao MD 19

Protect yourself•You can protect yourself and your family by taking simple measures that include sleeping under a bed net, wearing a long-sleeved shirt and trousers and using insect repellent. Dr.T.V.Rao MD 20

Keep the Environment Clean and Save many Lives

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SAVE THE PLANET SAVE FROM VECTOR BORN DISEASES

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Websites

• www.climatetrap.eu

• www.ecdc.eu

• www.who.int/globalchange/en/

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More information

Dr.T.V.Rao MD

•Programme Created by Dr.T.V.Rao MD for Medical and Health Professionals to be Partners

in Prevention of Vector Borne diseases • Email

•doctortvrao@gmail.com

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