B6253 - Cambiamento climatico e infezioni

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student will have acquired knowledge on the influence of climate change on the emergence of infections transmissible to humans, with a particular focus on vector-borne infections and environmental matrices

Course contents

1. Fungal infections. Climate change is contributing to the spread of numerous infectious diseases, including fungal infections transmitted from animals to humans (mycotic zoonoses). In recent years, climate change has caused natural disasters and extreme weather events. These events encourage the spread of pathogenic fungi from their natural habitats, causing diseases to appear in places where they had not previously been reported. The module will focus in particular on zoonotic mycoses caused by Trycophiton and Microsporum

2. Infections transmitted by arthropod vectors. Infections transmitted by arthropod vectors. Arthropod vectors are cold-blooded insects and ticks and are therefore particularly sensitive to climate change. Global warming enhances their global expansion and colonization of new biological niches, promoting the spread of emerging and re-emerging diseases of viral, bacterial, and parasitic origin. The relevance of ecological and social factors, as well as the consequences of the increasing overlap of the habitat of the human species with domestic/wild animals, will be discussed using case studies.

3. Rodent-borne infections. Rodent expansion is influenced by climatic conditions. Rodents might increase in temperate areas resulting in greater interaction with humans and a higher risk of infection transmission, especially in urban areas. In addition, heavy atmospheric precipitation could spread pathogens excreted by rodent urine, such as leptospires, zoonotic bacterial pathogens, Hantaviruses are also rodent-transmitted viruses, Humans are at risk of exposure through inhalation of viral aerosols from the droppings of infected rodents.

4. Extreme weather events can affect water availability, quality and access. Waterborne pathogens often act in concert through two main routes of exposure: drinking water and recreational water use. For example, Vibrio spp bacteria (including Vibrio vulnificu and non-O1 and non-O139 Vibrio cholerae) have shown increased growth rates during unusually hot summers and infected open wounds that can necrotize and cause severe sepsis.

 

 

Readings/Bibliography

Links to readings and slides will be provided and will be available as repository material on https://virtuale.unibo.it/

Teaching methods

In presence lectures

Assessment methods

In order to pass the exam, attendance of at least 60% of the lessons as well as the participation to the in-class activities and discussions will be required

Teaching tools

Power point presentations, videos, online resources

Office hours

See the website of Alessandra Scagliarini