Increasing risks for emerging infectious diseases within a rapidly changing High Asia

• Published in: Ambio 2022-03, Vol.51 (3), p.494-507
• Main Authors: Mishra, Charudutt, Samelius, Gustaf, Khanyari, Munib, Srinivas, Prashanth Nuggehalli, Low, Matthew, Esson, Carol, Venkatachalam, Suri, Johansson, Örjan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal diseases; Animal health; Animals; Animals, Wild; Aridity; Asia - epidemiology; Atmospheric Sciences; Climate change; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - epidemiology; Communicable Diseases, Emerging - veterinary; Conservation; Conservation of Natural Resources; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Economic factors; Environment; Environmental degradation; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Environmental Management; Environmental Sciences; Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi; Globalization; Health care; Health surveillance; Human populations; Humans; Infectious diseases; Intensifiers; Livestock; Miljövetenskap; Mountains; Panthera; Panthera uncia; Perspective; Physical Geography; Plateaus; Population density; Public health; Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology; Social factors; Socioeconomic factors; Socioeconomics; Sustainable development; Wildlife; Wildlife management; Zoonoses - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0044-7447; 1654-7209; 1654-7209
• DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01599-7

The cold and arid mountains and plateaus of High Asia, inhabited by a relatively sparse human population, a high density of livestock, and wildlife such as the iconic snow leopard Panthera uncia , are usually considered low risk for disease outbreaks. However, based on current knowledge about drivers of disease emergence, we show that High Asia is rapidly developing conditions that favor increased emergence of infectious diseases and zoonoses. This is because of the existing prevalence of potentially serious pathogens in the system; intensifying environmental degradation; rapid changes in local ecological, socio-ecological, and socio-economic factors; and global risk intensifiers such as climate change and globalization. To better understand and manage the risks posed by diseases to humans, livestock, and wildlife, there is an urgent need for establishing a disease surveillance system and improving human and animal health care. Public health must be integrated with conservation programs, more ecologically sustainable development efforts and long-term disease surveillance.