Mumbai, January 06: The year 2009 hit the headlines for many reasons, but ultimately emerged as the H1N1 year. Spread of the mutating H1N1 virus that causes swine flu affected thousands of people worldwide and the number of confirmed cases still continues. This transmission of animal virus to humans is majorly due to the global warming and effects of climate change. Diminishing glaciers, droughts and a list of infections spread from animal virus.

Climate changes have a direct effect on the animals who live and deeply influenced by the nature and the changing ecosystem. Small disturbances in the environment can disrupt their living pattern and can result in gradual extinction. Climate change, as we know, can have adverse effects on public health and result in deaths worldwide.

Diseases like bird flu due to climate change can disrupt migration and movement of wild birds, thus enabling them to come in contact with the domestic birds more and thereby, spread the H5N1 virus that cause bird flu. This virus can be transmitted to the humans.

Cholera, a water-borne disease is spread more by the rising temperatures, since it has an impact on the growth of bacteria that leads to cholera.

Vector-borne disease like malaria n dengue is mainly spread by vector mosquito species. Malaria, most found in tropical and sub tropical countries, where weather conditions facilitate the breeding of mosquitoes, thereby increasing the rate of transmission of the disease. Dengue is found more in the urban settings, caused mainly due to surface water pooling.

While these diseases continue to affect people, swine flu which started in mid-July of 2009 had a bigger impact on people worldwide and also in India. Swine flu death in India has crossed 1000 mark while the confirmed cases continue to rise each day. This pandemic flu had a big impact on public health, with the vaccines to prevent still awaited. The H1N1 virus can be transferred easily from human-to-human. Proper hygiene and preventive measures can only reduce the rates of transmission of the virus.

There have already been many outbreaks of pandemic flu and other deadly disease due to ecological imbalance, and increased pollution levels may raise the incidence of chronic diseases including cancer, different allergies and also birth defects in children.

Impact of climate change on public health will be huge