Microbial Food-borne Diseases Due to Climate Change

• Published in: Climate Change and Microbes pp. 187 - 234
• Main Authors: War, John Mohd, Nisa, Anees Un, Wani, Abdul Hamid, Bhat, Mohd Yaqub
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: United Kingdom Routledge 2022; Apple Academic Press, Incorporated
• Edition: 1
• Subjects: Aichi Virus; RNA; Microbial Food Borne Diseases; Campylobacter Infections; Sea Water; Mycotoxin Producing; Norovirus Infection; Diarrheal Diseases; Bacillus Cereus; climate change; Average Earth's Surface Temperature; transmission factors; Rotavirus Infection; Salmonella Infections; Infected Food Handler; Food Safety; Bacillary Dysentery; Vibrio Parahaemolyticus; Salmonella Gastroenteritis; Vibrio Vulnificus; Plant Physiological Processes; microbial foodborne diseases; vectors; DNA; Food Borne Diseases; International Food Safety Authorities Network; causal organisms
• ISBN: 1774637960; 9781774637968; 1774637219; 9781774637210
• DOI: 10.1201/9781003189725-7

Climate change is a global concern shadowing its impacts on the whole planet earth. The problem arises due to increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The increased concentration of these gases causes an increase in the average temperature of earth's surface. The assessment report fifth of IPCC predicts that the average earth's surface temperature is likely to exceed 1.5°C-2.0°C by the year 2100. The changing climate is exerting significant impacts on all aspects of life on planet earth. Although much attention was given to its impacts on macrobiome, but now its impact on microbiome is also being studied. The changing climate affects the occurrence and persistence of all microorganisms and their vectors, leading to increased bacterial, viral, and pathogenic contamination of water and food that in turn is placing a threat to animal health by having direct and indirect impacts on food safety. There are sufficient evidences to support the interrelation between the survival, growth, and transmission factors (vectors) of causal organisms of food-borne illness, such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses and the changing climate patterns. The possible effect of changing climate on public health including its effect on microbial food-borne illness are now being studied and significant evidences support for its negative impacts on food safety especially in 188developing countries. Although food-borne diseases in maximum cases are a mild gastrointestinal problem, some cases are much more than gastroenteritis resulting in hospitalization and even death. These diseases are also posing a great thrust on the economy of a country due to treatment cost and many more factors, and hence are a major concern in most countries. Thus, food safety and security are the most significant climate change-related threats at global level. The current chapter discusses the increasing risks of microbial food-borne diseases due to climate change as well as the preventive measures that need to be addressed to the scientific community. This chapter examines the effect of climate change on various microbial pathogens including bacteria and viruses and mycotoxin producing fungi, which are associated with food-borne illness. It discusses the impact of climate change and the related food safety issues will be discussed and the measures that are needed to respond to the negative impacts of climate change will be addressed to the scientific community. Climate change is a global concern shadowing its impacts on the whole planet earth. The problem arises due to increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Soil microbial communities get affected by changing climatic variables either directly or indirectly through alterations in the plant physiological processes and composition of plant communities. The changing climate affects the existence and persistence of all microorganisms and their vectors leading to increased pathogenic microbial contamination of water, food that in turn is placing a threat to animal health including humans by laying direct and indirect effects on food security.