In Africa, the ravages of climate change are also recorded on a biological level. In a study published on April 28, 2022, a team of researchers from Georgetown University in Washington DC in the United States of America, indicates that there will be 15,000 virus crossings from one animal species to another from by 2070, due to climate change. ” This is one of the aspects of global warming that is inevitable. It occurs even in the most optimistic scenarios of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)says Colin Carlson, co-author of the study.
The study modeled the possible changes in the range of more than 3,300 species of mammals, depending on climate change. According to the study, bats are among the most involved in viral transmission, because they fly far and their very robust immune system allows them to carry many viruses without getting sick. ” The Covid-19 pandemic probably originated from a bat virus that was transmitted to a wild animal sold in Chinese markets, possibly the pangolin. Ebola and HIV are other viruses that jumped from one mammal to another before mutating enough to infect humans. recalls the study.
Thus, outside of Africa, the Georgetown University study indicates that most virus transmission from one species to another occurs in Asia and South America, due to their rich biodiversity.
The climatic factor of zoonoses
In a previous study published by the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ), the contributions of current and anticipated climate changes on the increase in zoonoses are demonstrated. There is the creation of climatic conditions favorable to the proliferation of pathogens, that is, organisms that can cause parasitic or microbial diseases.
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Modification of the habitat, hibernation period, lifespan and reproduction conditions of reservoir species by increases in temperature, precipitation and humidity. Also, the proliferation of outdoor activities, such as hiking and camping, because the summer season has become warmer and longer, exposes people more to the risk of infection.
Boris Ngounou
