Canadian winters can be an effective defence against the spread of tropical diseases and pests, but experts say that could change with global warming.
"Either the geographical distribution can become more extensive for diseases ... or the duration of the season of risk can increase," Dr. Neil Rau, an infectious diseases expert, told CTV News.
"Or even more unusually, someone can import a new disease, the way West Nile came to North America."
Mosquitoes carry West Nile to humans after consuming the blood of infected birds, and warmer winters mean more mosquitoes carrying the disease.
"That dramatically increases the chance that a human will be bitten by one of those infected mosquitoes towards the end of the summer," said Dr. Brian Ward, a tropical diseases expert at the University of McGill.
Another concern is ticks that carry lyme disease. They're usually found only in the warmest parts of Canada, like southern B.C. and the shoreline of Ontario's Lake Erie.
"But much of Canada is appropriate tick habitat, and so if there were to be global warming it seems very reasonable that we might see the ticks extend their range into a much larger part of Canada," said Ward.
Lyme disease is already the fastest-growing infectious disease in the U.S., and appeared in Nova Scotia for the first time just two years ago. It can be very painful and difficult to treat.
"It is going to be very important that not only the public is made aware of this, but that the medical profession knows what to look for," said Dr. Paul Sockett of Canada's Public Health Agency.
CTV's David Akin reported that there are several other ways that global warming could contribute to the spread of disease.
"When there are extreme weather events like flooding, researchers are finding new strains of E. coli," he said. "And with soils warming up on the west coast, researchers have found some funguses that are carrying diseases."
With a report by CTV's David Akin
Posts: 1538 | From Planet Earth | Registered: Jan 2005
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Marnie
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
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posted
Rent the documentary called "An Inconvenient Truth" (Al Gore)
If a fraction of what he presents is true...holy cow!
Posts: 9481 | From Sunshine State | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
The ice has been retreating for thousands of years, so why would anyone expect that to happen to stop during our lifetimes? It's just part of the natural cycle of the sun and life. We know the sun, not CO2, is the primary cause of global warming because the ice is retreating on Mars too.
Change happens. My hope is to change for the healthier.
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Areneli
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posted
I saw The Inconvenient Truths.
The movie is perhaps already obsolete. My sister who is a biologist say that the oceanic pump that is responsible for all oceanic currents and redistribution of heat from Equator towards the poles has already dramatically slowed down. We may see dramatic global climate change VERY SOON; in just a few years, she says.
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Truthfinder
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8512
posted
The official temperature here at this moment is -24 degrees. As you can imagine, Global Warming sounds pretty good right now.
We will have Global Warming, and then that will set the stage for Global Cooling (ice age). It is a never-ending cycle, and probably one that allows higher life forms to live here at all.
We'd better get used to the idea.
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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5dana8
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posted
Thanks Areneli for posting the article
we just rented An Incoveienth Truth and it was very disturbing. The ice is melting in greenland at an unpresendted rate. In the movie Al Gore does mention the onset of more infectious diseases.
Makes sence if there isn't as much cold temps that ticks would have more free time to populate & pass TBI's on to people.
Very sad because it can be prevented now & not left to be non reversiable to the next generations.
This is the second winter here where we have had record warm temps & very warm winter. I am still killing flies,misquitoes & nats inside our house
posted
Anyone see those Geico commercials with the cavemen? Where do you think they found those guys? Under the ice caps in Greenland and brought them back to life.
I don't see how this relates to "Medical Questions".
I tend to agree with dguy; after reviewing the data we may or may not be causing or contributing to this problem but the alarmists will have you believe it's all us.
Remember back in 1979 when these same "experts" were claiming global cooling? If things continue at this rate there will be ice on most of Europe and N. America so I think there are greater concerns than spreading disese(s).
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5dana8
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7935
posted
I think this does applys here because there is now a longer time for ticks to be active.
Without the big freeze's & cold temps in winter.
Last winter was so warm people in the northeast where pulling ticks off their pets in january.
The spring comes ealier & ealier & so do the ticks.
Now in some places the ticks do not go dormant the winters are so much warmer.
-------------------- 5dana8 Posts: 4432 | From some where over the rainbow | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
The Al Gore Global Warming is nothing but propaganda to put a large energy tax on all citizens of the US controlled by the EU.
The Socialist EU finances are collapsing under heavy Socialist taxes due to "free medical and welfare".
The socialist nations cannot compete with the USA. So they want take our money to pay off their heavy debts and cripple our economy so they can compete..
The Global warning issue has nothing to do with weather. It is about taxing us chickens and putting the USA under a one world government ran by old communists and Nazis...
Yes something going on with the weather. It is the coming of another Ice Age caused by under water volcanoes heating up the sea water which turns to vapor. This causes heavy rains and snow across the lands.
If you want something to worry about check this out..
Tj
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Areneli
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
Ticks also expand their habitat with warmer climate.
Also in the past perhaps a few per thousand were infected with LD. Today sometimes 40% have Bb.
[ 16. January 2007, 01:04 PM: Message edited by: Areneli ]
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treepatrol
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 4117
posted
I have pulled ticks off me in the teens and the 20y's and even a few around 10 degrees. Ticks are here and the have hosts the more hosts the more ticks.
Winter barely slows ticks down cold or warm ones. The reason there finding more ticks is because there are more. We have overprotected to many species and of coarse theres always ebbs & tides in flow of the natural, including weather.
Quit knee jerking reactions.
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