WORLD HEALTH DAY

2014
Dr.T.V.Rao MD

Dr.T.V.Rao MD

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.
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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 Chagas disease, 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

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 Types of VBD transmission

Anthroponotic infections

Definitions

Types of VBD transmission

Mosquitoes (Malaria), Ticks (Lyme disease)

Mosquitoes (Malaria), Ticks (Lyme disease) Anthroponotic infections

Zoonotic infections
Rodents (plague), Birds (Q-fever)

Animals Vector Animals Humans

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Humans Vector Vector Vector

Humans

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 worlds 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
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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Vector

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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 hostseeking and virus transmission Increased humidity increases vector survival and vice-vers

Pathogen
Few direct effects but some data on humidity effects on parasite development Dr.T.V.Rao MD

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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 worlds poorest people.

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Protect yourself
You can protect yourself and your family by taking simple measures that include sleeping under a bed net, wearing a longsleeved shirt and trousers and using insect repellent.

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Keep the Environment Clean and Save many Lives

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SAVE THE PLANET

SAVE FROM VECTOR BORN DISEASES

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More information
Websites
www.climatetrap.eu www.ecdc.eu www.who.int/globalchange/en/

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 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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