5 Diseases on the Move in North America, Thanks to Climate Change

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/environment/5-diseases-move-north-america-thanks-climate-change



***SNIP

1. The Amoeba That Wants Your Brains

Meet Naegleria fowleri , a single-celled amoeba that enjoys lakes, rivers, hot springs, and your brain. If you are unlucky enough to swim with the mini-beasts, you may develop what the CDC refers to as primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). In other words, an amoeba attacks your brain tissue and you die.

***SNIP

2. Oh, Canada: Lyme Disease on the Move

Climate change may be playing out in North America through the rise of Lyme disease in the north. Carried by ticks, the illness is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi . Once infected, humans experience fever, headache and other decidedly unpleasant maladies. Most people recover after taking antibiotics, while up to 20% of sufferers experience symptoms that can continue for years.

***SNIP


3. Malaria Marches On
***SNIP
Malaria was largely eliminated in the United States after 1951. However, in 2002, the CDC reported that the number of malaria cases in the U.S. rose sharply through the 1990s, likely due to the rise of international travel. As many as 1,500 cases are now reported annually in the United States. How the warming planet will impact these statistics remains to be seen.

***SNIP

4. Ciguatera Fish Poisoning Comes to America

Anyone who has ever suffered through food-poisoning knows the experience is akin to rinsing out your insides with bleach. But ciguatera fish poisoning pushes these symptoms to a whole new level. Sure, there are your “average” symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. Ciguatera adds on bizarre neurological problems—such as reversing the feeling of hot and cold for its victims.

[SDjack]

1. And, add to the list:

West Nile virus
Dengue fever
Yellow fever

[malokvale77]

2. Bubonic Plague and hantaviris

[drlit]

3. Yes, we've even seen Dengue fever in Vermont... oh those pesky mosquitos! n/t