Pandemics, Environment, and Globalization: Understanding the Interlinkage

By Sadaf Nazneen, Akebe Luther King Abia, and Sughosh Madhav

Pandemics are often associated with viruses and bacteria occurring in wildlife in natural environments. Diseases of epidemic and pandemic scale are mostly zoonotic, including notable examples such as AIDS, Zika virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and COVID-19. As the world grapples with the devastating consequences of these diseases, it is essential to explore their documented history and the potential of various epidemics turning into pandemics in the face of climate change, pollution, and environmental destruction.

The Environment as a Reservoir of Human Diseases

The natural environment plays a crucial role in the emergence and spread of infectious diseases. Climate change, in particular, has become an emerging driver of infectious diseases, altering the delicate balance between humans, animals, and the environment. Understanding the interlinkage between pandemics, environment, and globalization is critical in mitigating the severity of disease outbreaks.

Exploring the Relationship Between Pandemics and the Environment

This book delves into the essential elements of diseases of pandemic nature and their relationship with the environment, including:

• Climate change and its impact on infectious diseases
• Occurrence and environmental dimensions of specific pandemics and epidemics
• Pandemics, environment, and globalization: understanding the interlinkage in the context of COVID-19
• Climate change and zoonotic diseases: malaria, plague, dengue, encephalitis
• Tuberculosis: an old enemy of mankind and possible next pandemic
• Lassa fever in Nigeria: case fatality ratio, social consequences, and prevention

It is imperative to acknowledge that many epidemics have the potential to turn into pandemics if left unchecked. This book provides an integrated risk assessment on pandemics like COVID-19, covering fundamental factors of global disease outbreaks and the complexity and severity of consequences.

The information presented in this book is invaluable in designing mitigation measures, including behavioral changes that could prevent the emergence of such pandemics, thus protecting human life and minimizing losses incurred due to diseases of such magnitude.

Book Details

Publisher: CRC Press

Language: English

Hardcover: 180 pages

ISBN-10: 1032265345

ISBN-13: 978-1032265346

Publication Date: July 4, 2023