The effect of climate change on risk of anthrax infection in the Kobuk Valley, Alaska
Because of rising global temperatures, erosion, and anthropogenic environmental degradation, permafrost in the Arctic is melting. B. anthracis spores preserved in the frozen ground can be rendered active upon thaw. This melt and release is responsible for an environmentally-mediated anthrax outbreak...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Pittsburgh
2017
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| Online Access: | http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/31620/ http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/31620/1/GarrettK_MPHessay_4_2017.docx http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/31620/3/licence.txt |
| Summary: | Because of rising global temperatures, erosion, and anthropogenic environmental degradation, permafrost in the Arctic is melting. B. anthracis spores preserved in the frozen ground can be rendered active upon thaw. This melt and release is responsible for an environmentally-mediated anthrax outbreak in northern Siberia in 2016, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of reindeer and the hospitalization of 90 people. Re-emergent anthrax has the potential to impact communities across the Arctic, especially indigenous peoples and those who practice subsistence hunting. An environmental anthrax outbreak poses a significant threat to public health, as it directly infects humans and depletes the resources they use for food, shelter, and income. Risk of an environmental anthrax outbreak was assessed for the Kobuk Valley, Alaska, which possesses multiple risk factors for such an event, including its geologic profile, agricultural history, wildlife dynamics, and vulnerability to climate change. These factors are examined in detail in order to assess the risk of an anthrax outbreak in the Kobuk Valley. The risk of an immediate outbreak is currently low. However, the progression of climate change will modify contributing factors and increase risk over time. Thus, preventative surveillance and outbreak response preparation are essential for the Kobuk Valley and similar Arctic regions. |
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