Wellness Exchange: Health Discussions
Deadly Mosquitoes Invade: Climate Change's Chilling Health Threat
(upbeat music) - Welcome to "Listen To." This is Ted. The news was published on Thursday, September 26th. Joining us today are Eric and Kate to discuss the spread of mosquito-borne diseases across the US. Let's dive right in. Today we're discussing the alarming spread of mosquito-borne diseases across the United States. Let's start with West Nile virus. What's the current situation? - Well, Ted, the numbers are pretty darn scary if you ask me. We're talking about West Nile fever popping up in 39 states just this year and get this. New York City alone has seen a whopping 40 or 90 cases since the turn of the millennium. It's not just some far off problem anymore, folks. This virus has set up shop right here in our backyard. - Hold your horses there, Eric. While those numbers might sound like we're facing the apocalypse, we really shouldn't be losing our minds over this. The fact is, a huge majority of West Nile infections-- - But Kate, you can't just brush this off. Sure, many cases are mild, but severe infections can lead to permanent neurological complications. That's not something to take lightly. And let's not forget about Eastern equine encephalitis or EEE. This bad boy has a 30% fatality rate. That's not just a little flu we're dealing with here. - Oh, come on, Eric. You're really pulling out the big guns with EEE. That's still incredibly rare. The biggest outbreak we've seen in recent history was only 38 cases in 2019. You're making mountains out-- - Rare doesn't mean insignificant, Kate. In 2024 alone, we've already seen 10 EEE cases across six states. Massachusetts even had to break out the big guns with mosquito spraying regimes to stop it from spreading further. This isn't some minor inconvenience we're talking about. - Spraying chemicals isn't the answer, Eric. We're just trading one problem for another. What we really need to focus on are natural prevention methods and improving overall public health. We can't just keep dumping-- - Interesting points from both of you. Let's move on to another concerning trend. What can you tell us about multiple mosquito-borne infections? - This is where things get really wild, Ted. We're seeing more and more cases of people getting hit with multiple mosquito-borne diseases at once. There was this poor guy in New Hampshire who got the trifecta hospitalized with West Nile fever, EEE, and St. Louis and Cephalitis all at the same time. It's like winning the worst lottery ever. - How please, you're basing your whole argument on one extreme case. That's not how public health policy works, Eric. We can't go around scaring people with these outlier scenarios. - It's not just one case, Kate. Experts in the field like Chloe La Hondaire from Virginia Tech are seeing this trend more and more frequently. This isn't some freak occurrence. It's a serious concern for our healthcare system. We need to be prepared for these complex cases. - Our healthcare system can handle it, Eric. We've got some of the best doctors and hospitals in the world. What we really need to focus on are the broader issues like climate change that are contributing to these problems. That's where our energy should be going. - Speaking of climate change, how is it affecting the spread of these diseases? And can you relate this to any similar historic events? - Climate change is playing a huge role here, Ted, as temperatures rise, we're seeing mosquito populations thriving in areas that used to be too hostile for them. It's like we're rolling out the red carpet for these disease-carrying pests. It's not unlike the spread of yellow fever back in the 18th and 19th centuries. Different times, same principle, changes in the environment leading to disease outbreaks. - Hold up, Eric. Yellow fever isn't really comparable here. That was more about people moving around in poor sanitation, not climate change. You can't just lump all disease-- - The underlying principle is absolutely the same, Kate. Whether it's human movement, poor sanitation, or climate change, we're talking about changes in the environment that lead to disease spread. During the yellow fever epidemic, cities like Philadelphia saw death tolls in the thousands. We're facing a similar potential crisis here if we don't take action. - That's straight up fear-mongering, Eric. Our medical knowledge and infrastructure are light-years ahead of where they were back then. We're not going to see those kinds of death tolls. You're painting a doomsday scenario-- - We're already seeing unprecedented outbreaks, Kate. Peru had a deadly dengue outbreak, and Europe is reporting record numbers of cases. Even California and Arizona have detected locally-acquired dengue fever. This isn't some far-off possibility. It's happening right now. - Those are still relatively small numbers in the grand scheme of things, Eric. We shouldn't exaggerate the threat. You're making it sound like we're on the brink of a mosquito apocalypse when really-- - Interesting perspectives. How are mosquito species adapting to these changes? - Take Kulex Coronator, for example. This little bugger has been on a whirlwind tour of the Southeast since 2004. It's now in almost all Southeastern states, bringing lovely parting gifts like West Nile and St. Louis and Cephalitis. It's like watching a disease road trip in real time. - Mosquitoes have always adapted and moved around, Eric. This isn't some new terrifying phenomenon. You're making it sound like we're facing an invasion of super mosquitoes when really-- - The rate of change is what's unprecedented here, Kate. We're seeing 80s mosquitoes and traps way up north in California now, places they've never been spotted before. This isn't business as usual. It's a rapid shift that we need to take seriously. - Finding a few mosquitoes and traps doesn't equal a full-blown disease outbreak, Eric. You're jumping to conclusions here. We need to look at the bigger picture and not get carried away with the little-- - Let's look to the future. How do you see this situation unfolding in the coming years? - I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Ted, but the outlook is pretty grim. Climate projections are showing that around one billion people, mainly in Europe and subtropical regions, will be infected by a mosquito-borne virus for the first time in the next century. That's a billion people facing diseases they've never had to deal with before. It's a recipe for disaster. - Oh, come on, Eric. That's clearly a worst-case scenario. We can't base policy on such extreme predictions. It's like planning your whole life around winning the lottery. We need to focus on immediate, practical solutions instead of getting-- - But we need to prepare for the worst, Kate. In parts of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, disease transmission is expected to go from seasonal to year-round. That's not just a small change. It's going to have devastating consequences for millions of people. We can't just stick our heads in the sand and hope for the best. - You're ignoring human adaptability and medical advancements, Eric. We're not just going to sit around twiddling our thumbs. We'll develop better treatments and vaccines. Humans have faced diseases before-- - Speaking of vaccines, why don't we have a West Nile virus vaccine for humans yet? - It's a complete failure of our medical research system, Ted. We've had safe and effective vaccines for horses for 20 years now, 20 years. The sporadic nature of outbreaks has made human trials challenging, sure, but that's no excuse. We're letting people suffer because we can't get our act together. - Hold on a second, Eric. Vaccine development is incredibly complex. We can't just rush out untested vaccines and hope for the best. That's dangerous and irresponsible. What we really need to focus on are natural prevention methods. - But we're running out of time, Kate. As Paul Tambia president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases said, "The absence of a vaccine is due to a lack of imagination." We need to stop making excuses and start taking action. People's lives are at stake here. - That's just one opinion, Eric. We can't base our entire approach on what one person says. We need to focus on environmental solutions, not just medical ones. Reducing plastic waste, for example, could significantly impact mosquito breeding grounds. While that's true, it's not enough on its own, Kate. We need a multi-pronged approach here. Vaccines, mosquito control, environmental management, we need to throw everything we've got at this problem. Picking and choosing isn't gonna cut it. - Genetic engineering and toxic baits are just too risky, Eric. We could end up causing more harm than good. We should be focusing on natural solutions and improving overall public health. That's how we'll really make a difference in the long-- - Let's clear this is a complex issue with no easy answers. Thanks to both Eric and Kate for sharing their insights today. As we wrap up, it's evident that mosquito-borne diseases pose a significant challenge, one that will require careful consideration and a range of approaches to address effectively. Stay tuned to listen to for more on this developing story.