Climate Change is Worsening Foodborne Illnesses
While the ever-rising global temperatures may be considered a blessing by some people, when it comes to foodborne illnesses and the transmission of pathogens, it certainly is not. Epidemiologists have noted that during the warmer, late spring and early summer months, there is a very noticeable uptick in the number of reported foodborne illnesses.
Why is this? This is mostly due to the fact that warmer, more humid conditions are what facilitate the growth and spread of these bacteria. Furthermore, since every year the warmer months are becoming longer and longer, and the colder months the opposite, this is a rising concern among health specialists of longer seasons of food borne illness.
Global Warming Has Large Impact on Marine Ecosystems
Not only are summers longer and winters shorter, coupled with more drastic weather patterns, but oceans and marine ecosystems are getting significantly warmer.
This is yet another factor that many do not take into consideration.
Most of the marine ecosystems will be affected by the record-breaking increase in temperatures that are occurring every year. This is exemplified by a recent outbreak of vibriosis, or Vibrio, a bacterium that originates in the ocean and is becoming all too common. These warmer oceans lead to an increase in the levels of the deadly bacteria. Someone can become ill with Vibrio simply by swimming in contaminated ocean waters or by consuming raw shellfish, such as oysters. Vibrio can be extremely dangerous, especially if absorbed by a nick or cut, leading to a deadly infection. It is showing up in oysters more and more often, and in greater and greater quantities. And it is more deadly than nearly any other of the bacteria commonly linked to food borne illness. One in five people who get vibrio die.
What can Consumers Do?
How can consumers help prevent this steady increase in bacteria? Unfortunately, the main way people can really make a difference is to help slow climate change. The sooner people can act to mitigate the impacts of climate change, the better. But this is both controversial and difficult- the very idea of transitioning from fossil fuels to clean, reusable energy, is a long-term, difficult concept.
Are there any more “local” options to preventing food borne illness in these changing times? There are several different things that can be done right now, according to Wellcome Health, including:
- provide universal access to care and disease management
- improve disease surveillance
- improve health education and promotion for food preparation and storage in a warmer climates
- increase infection control of livestock (for example, Salmonella vaccine for poultry)
- improve eating habits
- create better food processes and storage procedures
- develop and invest in early warning systems to monitor changes in climatic conditions
Some of these things can be done by an individual or family, while others need to be done on a communal level. AS for this author, the best solution? Practice good, safe food handling, good personal hygiene, and avoid oysters!
