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By MARIA CHENG
AP Medical Writer LONDON (AP) -- An outbreak in Europe of an obscure disease from Africa
is raising concerns that globalization and climate change are combining
to pose a health threat to the West.
Nearly 300 cases of chikungunya fever, a virus that previously has been
common only in Africa and Asia, were reported in Italy - where only
isolated cases of the disease had been seen in the past. "We were quite surprised," said Stefania Salmaso, director of Italy's
Center for Epidemiology at the National Health Institute. "Nobody was
expecting that such an unusual event was going to happen." While the outbreak was largely the result of stronger trade and travel
ties, some experts believe it is a sign of how global warming is
creating new breeding grounds for diseases long confined to subtropical
climates. Officials at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said
the particularly mild winter in Italy allowed mosquitoes to start
breeding earlier than usual, giving the insect population a boost. "This outbreak is most important as a warning signal," said Diarmid
Campbell-Lendrum, a climate change expert at the World Health
Organization. "Climate change affects the breeding of every mosquito on
earth." More mosquitoes will mean more disease. With warmer temperatures in the
future, Europe and North America might be hit by outbreaks of diseases
usually confined to southern continents. "With more movement of people and a changing climate, there will be
shifting patterns of disease," Campbell-Lendrum said. "We need to be
prepared for more surprises like this in the future." Italian officials first grew suspicious in July, when dozens of people
in the country's northeast complained of fevers, joint pain, headaches
and rashes. Local doctors thought they had been bitten by sandflies, but
lab tests confirmed chikungunya fever, a disease spread by mosquitoes. Officials believe the virus arrived when a tourist from India brought
the virus to the Italian province of Ravenna. The Asian tiger mosquito,
which can spread the disease, had reached Italy nearly two decades earlier. Experts are also nervous because the Asian tiger mosquito might be
capable of spreading more dangerous diseases like dengue fever and
yellow fever. "Dengue would certainly be more worrying than chikungunya," said Dr.
Denis Coulombier, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and
Control's head of preparedness and response. "It is something we need to
keep an eye on, because the possibility is there." Most scientists think Europe's advanced health systems and high living
standards will help avert widespread disease. Malaria was once endemic
in much of Europe but disappeared once the swamps that bred mosquitoes
were replaced by buildings and medicines to treat malaria became widely
available. But development doesn't deter all mosquitoes. Certain species prefer
artificial breeding sites like rain-filled gutters and plastic
containers. "If the climate gets suitable enough, then even very high
living standards won't necessarily protect you," Campbell-Lendrum said. Although Italy's chikungunya outbreak has been contained, "the big
question is what is going to happen in the spring next year," said
Coulombier. Other European countries should pay attention: France also saw a few
dozen cases of chikungunya last year. "Italy is not the only country that needs to prepare for another
outbreak," said Dr. Evelyn Depoortere, a chikungunya expert at the
European Centre. "Southern European countries around the Adriatic coast
like Greece, France and Spain are also at risk." As long as temperatures keep rising, health officials say disease
detection and response systems need to be reinforced. "Climate change is one more factor pushing us in the direction of more
disease," said Campbell-Lendrum. "With warmer weather, it is very likely
we will have diseases popping up in Europe that no one had ever expected
to see."
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