Ecology of Increasing Diseases: Population Growth and Environmental Degradation

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Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other organizations report that the prevalence of human diseases during the past decade is rapidly increasing. Population growth and the pollution of water, air, and soil are contributing to the increasing number of human diseases worldwide. Currently an estimated 40% of world deaths are due to environmental degradation. The ecology of increasing diseases has complex factors of environmental degradation, population growth, and the current malnutrition of about 3.7 billion people in the world.

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Most cited references 61

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The global distribution of clinical episodes of Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

Robert W. Snow, Carlos Guerra, Abdisalan Noor … (2005)

Interest in mapping the global distribution of malaria is motivated by a need to define populations at risk for appropriate resource allocation and to provide a robust framework for evaluating its global economic impact. Comparison of older and more recent malaria maps shows how the disease has been geographically restricted, but it remains entrenched in poor areas of the world with climates suitable for transmission. Here we provide an empirical approach to estimating the number of clinical events caused by Plasmodium falciparum worldwide, by using a combination of epidemiological, geographical and demographic data. We estimate that there were 515 (range 300-660) million episodes of clinical P. falciparum malaria in 2002. These global estimates are up to 50% higher than those reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and 200% higher for areas outside Africa, reflecting the WHO's reliance upon passive national reporting for these countries. Without an informed understanding of the cartography of malaria risk, the global extent of clinical disease caused by P. falciparum will continue to be underestimated.

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Environmental and Economic Costs of Nonindigenous Species in the United States

David Pimentel, LORI LACH, Rodolfo Zuniga … (2000)

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Fine particulate air pollution and mortality in 20 U.S. cities, 1987-1994.

Jonathan M. Samet, Francesca Dominici, Frank C Curriero … (2000)

Air pollution in cities has been linked to increased rates of mortality and morbidity in developed and developing countries. Although these findings have helped lead to a tightening of air-quality standards, their validity with respect to public health has been questioned. We assessed the effects of five major outdoor-air pollutants on daily mortality rates in 20 of the largest cities and metropolitan areas in the United States from 1987 to 1994. The pollutants were particulate matter that is less than 10 microm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. We used a two-stage analytic approach that pooled data from multiple locations. After taking into account potential confounding by other pollutants, we found consistent evidence that the level of PM10 is associated with the rate of death from all causes and from cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses. The estimated increase in the relative rate of death from all causes was 0.51 percent (95 percent posterior interval, 0.07 to 0.93 percent) for each increase in the PM10 level of 10 microg per cubic meter. The estimated increase in the relative rate of death from cardiovascular and respiratory causes was 0.68 percent (95 percent posterior interval, 0.20 to 1.16 percent) for each increase in the PM10 level of 10 microg per cubic meter. There was weaker evidence that increases in ozone levels increased the relative rates of death during the summer, when ozone levels are highest, but not during the winter. Levels of the other pollutants were not significantly related to the mortality rate. There is consistent evidence that the levels of fine particulate matter in the air are associated with the risk of death from all causes and from cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses. These findings strengthen the rationale for controlling the levels of respirable particles in outdoor air.

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Author and article information

Contributors

D. Pimentel: dp18@cornell.edu

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Hum Ecol Interdiscip J

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Hum Ecol Interdiscip J

Title: Human Ecology

Publisher: Springer US (Boston )

ISSN (Print): 0300-7839

ISSN (Electronic): 1572-9915

Publication date (Electronic): 31 July 2007

Publication date (Print): 2007

Volume: 35

Issue: 6

Pages: 653-668

Affiliations

GRID grid.5386.8, ISNI 000000041936877X, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, , Cornell University, ; Ithaca, NY 14853–0901 USA

Article

Publisher ID: 9128

DOI: 10.1007/s10745-007-9128-3

PMC ID: 7087838

PubMed ID: 32214603

SO-VID: 9502fa58-6815-408c-80cd-df8d25fff502

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This article is made available via the PMC Open Access Subset for unrestricted research re-use and secondary analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for the duration of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic.

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ScienceOpen disciplines: Ecology

Keywords: ecology,environmental degradation,increasing disease,malnutrition,pollution,population growth

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ScienceOpen disciplines: Ecology

Keywords: ecology, environmental degradation, increasing disease, malnutrition, pollution, population growth

Ecology of Increasing Diseases: Population Growth and Environmental Degradation

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Abstract

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Behavioral Ecology of Fishes

Most cited references 61

The global distribution of clinical episodes of Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

Environmental and Economic Costs of Nonindigenous Species in the United States

Fine particulate air pollution and mortality in 20 U.S. cities, 1987-1994.

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