Page 58 - GALENIKA MEDICAL JOURNAL

sea, so, due to the danger of hurricanes and typhoons, pe- dioxide (NO ) are produced by the combustion of fossil fu-
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ople are forced to evacuate during the disaster, after which els, and their release into the atmosphere leads to acid rain
they return to find their property destroyed, infrastructure and worsens air quality . The harmful effects of ozone and
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demolished, and low sanitary conditions, leading to an in- small particles manifest through increased incidence and
crease in the frequency of infectious and mental illnesses, prevalence of respiratory diseases (such as asthma, bron-
as well as increased population migration. chitis, pneumonia, and lung cancer) and cardiovascular
diseases (atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, deep vein
It is estimated that by 2090, the occurrence of drought thrombosis, pulmonary embolism). It is estimated that 48%
periods will double, and their duration will be average 6 ti- of emergency room visits in Southeast Asia (including India)
mes longer. Frequent fires with increased concentrations of and the Western Pacific region (including China) for asthma
dust and particles sized 2.5-10 μm lead to worsened health are induced by the increase in ozone (O ), and 56% are due
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and increased mortality from respiratory and cardiovascu- to the increase in the concentration of particles smaller than
lar diseases. Increasing temperatures and droughts in im- 2.5 μm in the air .
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poverished regions, such as Africa, can lead to reduced food
production in these areas, resulting in malnutrition, which An earlier onset and later end of the vegetation and
already causes the deaths of 3.5 million people annually. flowering season lead to an increase in pollen concentra-
Predictions from the World Health Organization (WHO) indi- tion in the air. The allergenicity of pollen increases due to
cate that climate change in the period 2030-2050 will result chemical reactions with ozone, increased concentrations of
in an additional 250.000 deaths per year due to malnutriti- carbon dioxide (CO ), or precipitation on mold spores who-
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on, malaria, diarrhea, and the effects of heatwaves 1, 2 . se concentration increases with increasing humidity due to
increased rainfall. Higher concentration and allergenicity of
Heatwaves, as a natural disaster, are defined as three pollen in the air, changes in geographic distribution, and
consecutive days with the average air temperature excee- the appearance of allergenic plants at higher altitudes con-
ding the ninety-ninth percentile of the measured tempera- tribute to the expansion of allergic diseases in children and
tures during the summer in the recent past (which encompa- exacerbation of chronic respiratory diseases in adults . Pro-
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sses the period from 1986 to 2005). The urban development vocative factors for exacerbation of respiratory diseases inc-
effect (concrete and asphalt absorbing and emitting heat) lude climate factors (meteorological changes, rainy periods,
increases the air temperature in cities by 3-12°C compared changes in temperature and humidity), exhaust emissions
to rural areas. With the estimation that by 2030, 60-80% of in traffic and industry, increased use of pesticides in agricul-
the world's population will live in urban areas, this indica- ture, etc. Asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis are
tes the problem of exposing a large number of people to expected to reach pandemic levels in the XXI century, with
extreme heatwaves . Mortality due to high temperatures an estimated 4 billion affected individuals by the year 2050 .
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increases by 1-4% for each degree rise in air temperature.
Heatwaves result in dehydration, cramps, heatstroke, and So far, more than 100 biotoxins in algae have been
exacerbation of existing respiratory and cardiovascular di- identified, which proliferate rapidly due to climate change .
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seases, along with the development of chronic stress that These biotoxins can be present in drinking water, stagnant
initiates or exacerbates existing mental disorders. Increa- water, freshwater and saltwater fish, and seafood, and their
sed exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation contributes to the transmission can also occur through the wind. Even in small
increased incidence of malignant melanoma and cataracts . doses, these biotoxins cause neurodegeneration with psy-
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In European Union (EU) countries, it is predicted that the chological changes, and their effects on human health inc-
number of deaths due to heat could reach 30.000 annually lude amnesia, diarrhea, numbness, liver damage, skin and
by the year 2030, and even 50.000-110.000 deaths annually eye irritation, respiratory distress, and exacerbation of Alz-
by the year 2080 . heimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Research on the effects
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of biotoxins on mammals has shown that they pass through
the placenta, affect fetal neural defects, disrupt postnatal
The influence of chemical and development, and lead to chronic diseases such as epilepsy.
biological pollution on human health Neurotoxic domoic acid is found in algal and plankton bi-
otoxins and causes diseases in fish and marine animals,
According to WHO estimates, every year, three million while in humans, it leads to brain damage and short-term
people die prematurely in large cities in Asia, Africa, and memory disorders .
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Latin America due to exposure to air pollution, which is in-
creasing due to rapidly developing economies, expanded During natural disasters, there can be destruction of
infrastructure, a growing number of vehicles, and reduced storage facilities containing toxic substances or spillage of
green spaces in urban areas . Climate change affects air qu- wastewater, leading to contamination of water, soil, and
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ality by increasing chemicals (such as sulfur oxides, nitrogen air with heavy metals and other chemicals, penetrating the
oxides, ozone, fine particles smaller than 2.5 μm, and dust) ground. This can have long-term direct teratogenic, muta-
and biological pollution (increased production and allerge- genic, and immunotoxic effects on humans . Increased use
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nicity of pollen and molds). Sulfur dioxide (SO ) and nitrogen of insecticides, herbicides, and pesticides in agricultural
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56 DOI: 10.5937/Galmed2409062I