BIOL 101 Lecture 24: Human-Caused Global Threats (Non-Climate Change)
Document Summary
Includes brand new diseases: (ex: sars, hiv) and re-emerging diseases from our past (ex: resistant strains of tb, malaria) Human activities are to blame for much of the infectious disease burden we face. Populations include a higher number of susceptible individuals. Belief that vaccines are unsafe or cause autism. More people live in cities than ever before. Chinese government tried to hide the sars outbreak. Current us administration plans to cut foreign aid for fighting hiv. Higher population densities make it easier for diseases to spread. Virtually no health surveillance, no prevention measures, and no containment plan in. Lack of access to health care, safe drinking water, nutritious food, transportation, and education. Over a billion people worldwide live in city slums case of disease outbreak. When we alter existing ecosystems, we alter the species that live there. Ex: building dams and reservoirs provides large bodies of standing water. Humans are continually expanding their cities and towns.
