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Liège, Belgium – A recent conference hosted by Liège Créative, a forum of the University of Liège, highlighted the growing health risks posed by climate change, revealing that current preparedness may be insufficient. Experts from the University of Liège, Dominique Votion, DVM, PhD, and Gilles Darcis, PhD, addressed the interconnected health impacts on humans and animals within the “One Health” framework.
Nicolas Antoine-Moussiaux, DVM, PhD, One Health coordinator, emphasized the holistic approach, stating, “One Health recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, plant, soil, forest, and ocean health.”
Toxic Plants on the Rise
Dominique Votion focused on the proliferation of invasive plants due to rising temperatures. Notably, she expressed concern over Senecio spp., which contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, hepatotoxic compounds dangerous to both horses and humans.
“Invasive plants threaten the three pillars of One Health. They disrupt biodiversity by overtaking ecosystems, pose risks to herbivores, and harm humans through direct contact or consumption of contaminated food,” Votion explained.
She warned that these alkaloids can enter the human food chain through contaminated honey, milk, and tea, leading to severe health issues like liver failure, cancer, and lung damage. While Sciensano, Belgium’s national public health institute, is monitoring the situation, Votion fears the risk is underestimated. “Clinical symptoms may take a long time to appear, and by the time they do, the damage may already be irreversible,” she cautioned.
Vector-Borne Diseases Spreading
Gilles Darcis explored the impact of climate change on vector-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. He stressed the complexity of prediction models due to the numerous interacting factors.
“Climate change influences the pathogen, the vector, the non-human reservoir, and humans. With so many interacting variables, it is impossible to create perfectly accurate predictive models,” Darcis noted.
He highlighted that water-related environmental changes, particularly droughts, significantly impact mosquito populations. Droughts force water storage, creating ideal breeding grounds. The Anopheles mosquito, responsible for malaria, is expected to migrate to higher-altitude regions like Ethiopia as temperatures rise.
Darcis also expressed concern over the tiger mosquito, a vector for dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, which is expanding into temperate regions, including Europe. “There is growing concern that dengue cases in Africa will surge in the second half of the century unless a vaccine is developed and widely distributed before then,” he added.
The tiger mosquito is now established in Belgium, raising concerns about potential outbreaks. While Sciensano is monitoring the situation and conducting public awareness campaigns, Darcis questioned the long-term effectiveness of vector eradication efforts.
“We continue to be reactive instead of proactive. Additionally, I’m not convinced that these eradication campaigns are effective in the long run. We also don’t fully understand their broader ecological impact. Are we actually making the problem worse when viewed through the lens of One Health?” Darcis concluded, emphasizing the need for a more comprehensive approach to address climate change and its health consequences.
Disclaimer: This news article is based on information provided and should not be taken as medical or scientific advice. The opinions expressed by the researchers are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of this publication. Readers should consult with qualified professionals for any health concerns or before making decisions related to their health or the health of others. Climate change predictions are complex and subject to change based on various factors.
