Mitigating root causes of diseases by Ecosystem Approach

           

                                                                                    Dr. N. D. Choudhari

Swine flu outbreak in 2009 has caused panic among people resulting in deaths in India. Swine flu is caused by Swine influenza virus (SIV), H1N1. The SIV strain includes influenza A - known as H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, H2N3 and influenza C all over the world. In India, people are infected with H1 N1 virus but it is a different strain compared to the 1918 flu in North America and Mexico. This strain includes genes derived by re-assortment from that of humans and pigs.

These mutations in swine flu, bird flu, dengue, meningitis, cerebral malaria, TB, jaundice and diseases in animals, plants, are attributed to environmental pollution, climate change; global warming and loss of biodiversity. Global warming causes major atmospheric changes, species extinction and changes in disease vectors.

In 1930, swine flu in pigs was identified which was caused by H1N1 viruses. In 1997, H3N2 , strains emerged due to mutations which included genes derived by re-assortment from human, swine and avian viruses. Generally, virus transmission from pigs to humans is not common but if transmitted, it causes human influenza, called zoonotic swine flu. People with regular exposure to pigs can be infected with swine flu. This virus is transmitted by contact and through air.

Common water pollutants have disease-causing agents (pathogens) including bacteria, viruses, parasitic worms, protozoa etc, that enter water from domestic sewage and untreated human and animal wastes. Escherichia coli and Streptococcus faeclis cause CI-tract disorders. Industrial pollutants and other chemicals cause cancer and skin diseases. Chemicals also cause genetic mutations in human beings, in bacteria, viruses and parasites, fungi, insects etc. and develop new strains of disease pausing agents. Similarly, new strains of parasites are also developed by mutations with actions of chemicals and radiations. The excess chemicals in fertilizes pause eutrofication arid pesticide which results in bioaccumulation and bio-magnification. Pollutants in sewage are absorbed by plants which are then passed on to herbivores, carnivores and sequentially to humans which later on are stored in their body.

Sewage water from the urban area is thrown in river as untreated. Due to construction of dams, perennial rivers are dried up and untreated sewage water is stagnated in rivers and nullahs. Bacteria, viruses, insects, parasite, fungi and other disease-causing agent multiply rapidly in sewage water. Pollution is caused due to industrialization and over population - the world around. Moreover, due to globalization, viruses and bacteria developed in one part of world spreads rapidly to the other parts. The Chernobyl Disaster in Russia and Hiroshima and Nagasaki bomb attacks in Japan resulted in nuclear disasters with high emission radiation in the deaths of many people. Nuclear radiation causes mutations in plant and animal genes. Mutation can also affect the ovaries and testes causing mutated eggs and sperms leading to abnormal off springs of human beings, animals and plants. Diseases developed by mutations are carried to further generations. During biological warfare, countries develop disease causing materials containing bacteria and viruses to artificially spread the diseases. During the past years, terrorist developed Anthrax - a powder that spread diseases in the world. Similarly plague, small pox, tuberculosis and other viral, diseases can, spread artificially, under bio terrorism and biological warfare. The ozone layer in the upper-atmosphere absorbs the UV radiation and protects plants and animals from diseases. Chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) in refrigerators and aerosol sprays cause ozone hole, thus allowing harmful UV rays to penetrate the earth. It causes skin diseases and gene mutations.

To mitigate diseases, ecofriendly approach should be followed. Industrialized, developed rich countries should take responsibility to control pollution, as decided in Rio De Janeiro in 1992, Kyoto protocol and Major Economies Forum at Italy in 2009. Major Economies Forum decided rise in global temperature be capped at 2 degree above pre industrial level and cutting emissions to 85 per cent below to 1990 levels by 2050. US, Canada and China have highest pollution level due to industrialisation. Developed countries should provide finance and technologies to developing countries to control pollution and large scale afforestation for carbon sequestration. In industries, pollution-causing technologies should be replaced with non-pollution causing technologies and special anti-pollution machinery should be installed to remove emissions of poisonous gases in air and water.

Industries should be given target for afforestation in private waste land for carbon sink. In cities and villages there are fallow lands, water-logged area, which should be taken over compulsorily and planted with flowering trees, or developed into gardens. Sewage water from kitchens, bathrooms and toilets should be passed through different pipelines and recycled. Treated sewage water should be used in agriculture. Industries should recycle polluted water and use it again. Sewage water should not be thrown in rivers or rivulet without treatment. As the dams kill river, more preference should be given to tanks, ponds, crossbund in villages and cities. Thus, stagnation of sewage water in rivers or rivulet should avoided. Water stagnated area should be planted with water-bearing plants like lantana, Eucalyptus, White Cerus, Bamboo and others.

In Cyprus, every house has mini sewage water treatment plant. Rooftop rainwater should be harvested; Biotechnology technique should be used for developing microbial growth in sewage water to remove harmful bacteria and viruses from the sewage water. In villages, poor people cut trees for fuel which accounts for 80 percent, of illicit felling. Alternative to wood, cow dung gas, LPG, coal, solar energy should be provided to poor people.

Municipal solid waste of wet and dried type should be recycled, hospital waste should be burnt, and solid waste should be used for land filling. Organic farming should be carried out by using organic manure and bio-pesticides. Inorganic manure and pesticides should be used to the minimum to control pollution. Unnecessary excess medication should be avoided to tide over resistance developed by disease causing agents. As per Dr Lindhahr M D and Naturopathist in America, developing immunity by removing toxic materials from the body by adapting vegetarian diet with exercise, controls such diseases.

Micro climate of each village and city can be changed by massive afforestation, water conservation, sewage treatment and controlling pollution. It will surely combat global warming, climate change and control of many fatal diseases.