close this window
Global Warming and the Mouse Plague
As if we needed more proof that global warming is the root of all evil, Belgian researchers have linked a viral disease sometimes known as ‘mouse plague’ to the effects of climate change.
Writing in the International Journal of Health Geographics, the scientists report that an epidemic of the viral disease nephropathia epidemica (or NE) can be traced to increases in the vole population brought on by hotter summers, milder winters and increased production of the tree seeds that form the core of the vole diet.
“This animal-borne disease, scarcely known before 1990, has been increasing in incidence in Belgium with a cyclic pattern, reaching epidemic proportions since 2005,” said Jan Clement of the department of microbiology and immunology at Belgium’s University of Leuven, the study’s lead author. “The fact that the growing combined effect of hotter summer and autumn seasons is matched by the growth of NE in recent years means this epidemic can be considered an effect of global warming.”
The study notes that of the 2,200 cases since Clement began charting them in 1985, 828 (or about 37 percent) occurred in just the last three years,. The epidemic has also crossed Belgium’s borders, popping up in neighboring countries such as France, Germany, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Nephropathia epidemica is actually caused by infection with the Puumala virus, or PUUV, which is carried and spread by the bank vole, which ranges throughout Europe. The study authors suggest that warmer weather has caused an increase in the principle staples of the vole diet: plant seeds from oak and beech trees. The warm summers also improve the chances that people will visit the rural areas and forests where the voles live, which is how the disease is transmitted from rodent to human.
The Puumala virus is a hantavirus, which can cause hemorrhagic fevers and severe flu-like symptoms that often require Intensive Care treatment. In some rare cases, the disease can be fatal, causing internal bleeding. As Clement said in a press release announcing the study’s findings: “In 1997, more than 9,000 people in the Russian republic of Bashkortostan contracted the disease, of which 34 cases were fatal.”
The entire article is available here for free: http://www.ij-healthgeographics.com/content/8/1/1
word on the street
more in this section
Gender Wage Gap Skewed By Survey Flaws
‘Orcas as Slaves’ Argument Sinks
The Perceived Delicacy of the Female Conductor
Prop Planes: The Future of Eco-Friendly Aviation?
House Puts Transportation in Partisan Crossfire
A Perennial Epicenter, Now for Same-Sex Marriage
Prop 8 May Be Same-Sex Couples’ Least Worry
EarthScope: A Seismic Shift in Data Gathering
Pressure to Conform Can Inspire Creativity
Learning to Read When a School System Falters
also by this author
Matt PalmquistA graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Matt Palmquist, a former Miller-McCune staff writer, began his career at daily ne...
Does This Make My Antenna Look Big?Researchers mix technology with fashion, analyze a pharaoh’s skin condition, measure the smarts of Scrabble players, and more in this edition of Miller-McCune’s “Cocktail Napkin.”
As if Commercials Weren’t Bad Enough AlreadyDo we really need to smell the items featured in TV programming? A materials expert has created a function for your TV or portable device that can generate thousands of odors.
The Exploitation of Muggles in Harry Potter’s WorldIn this edition of The Cocktail Napkin, we look academics’ fixation on the social and economic problems in the world of Harry Potter, and how music festivals impact the psychological and social well-being.
New Dinosaur Gets a Rather Large NameAs if being wiped out by a meteor wasn’t degrading enough, a charismatic dinosaur discovered in Utah gets a less-than-flattering name.
Time for Robin Hood to Make a ComebackResearchers from Nottingham University Business School say their survey proves it’s time for the city to re-embrace its most famous, albeit probably mythical, hero.
Receive 1 year (6 issues) of our print magazine for just $14.95. Miller-McCune features polished, in-depth reports on research and solutions across the policy spectrum — from health care, education and energy to international affairs, poverty and the global economy. It's a must read for well-informed and solutions-driven individuals.
follow us on:
join our newsletter:
from the source
A lot of people say they watch the Super Bowl mostly for the ads. But it turns out a good game surrounding those ads makes them seem better.
After decades of obstacles hindering the voting process, new laws will allow overseas and military voters to submit their votes in time for the 2012 election.
World health leaders announce coordinated push to eradicate or control neglected tropical diseases.
A survey of award-winning children’s picture books from 1938 to 2008 suggests our increasing estrangement from the natural environment.
Rather than moaning about too many cars on the road, the Ridesharing Institute says the real key to battling traffic congestion and pollution is filling empty passenger seats.
