1. EG3246 Spatial Science & Health Emerging diseases

2. Topics  What are emerging diseases?  Obesity  Diabetes  Sexually transmitted diseases  Alcohol related illness  Allergies, drugs, car accidents, smoking etc  New Assignment

3. What are Emerging Diseases?  Sometimes known as “lifestyle diseases”  Epidemiology of such diseases is altered in response to individual choice  Historically, these diseases have always been present – but to a much lesser extent  Change in prevalence largely due to enhancement of genetic and environmental risk (and increased exposure)

4. What are Emerging Diseases?  Many of these diseases are a result of greater economic success and affluence in western societies  Changes in agriculture have made food far cheaper and more readily available  Unfortunately, modern industrial processes for both food production and household goods have increased exposure to chemicals

5. Obesity  Probably the easiest problem to understand Access to cheap food Increase in “fast food” high in fat and sugar High sugar soft drinks sold at schools Decline in physical activity Use of public transport Car ownership Change in “school run”

6. Obesity  Many of the problems are directly linked  McDonalds burgers are relatively expensive but are used by “lazy” or wealthy parents to feed children  McDonalds burgers are very high in refined sugars and fats  Fats and sugers that are refined reduce the need for our bodies to refine and process

7. Obesity  Process of digestion uses fewer calories to process and allows fat to be stored more rapidly  Children are getting obese and this has serious implications for their health later in life  Use of TV by children and adults also reduces likelihood of exercise being undertaken

11. Diabetes  Diabetes insipidus (DI) – a relatively rare form of diabetes caused by a deficiency of vasopressin from the pituitary gland  Diabetes mellitus (DM) - a more common metabolic condition where blood sugars may be too high or too low  Pancreas may stop producing enough insulin that regulates blood glucose

12. Diabetes  There is currently no cure for DM but self- injection of “humulin” or “mixtard” insulin in response to careful blood sugar monitoring for “type 1” diabetics (insulin dependent)  There are each year an estimated 14.2 new cases of this type of diabetes per 100,000 children aged under 15  DM may also be controlled by diet and changes to lifestyle – “type 2” diabetes

13. Diabetes  There appears to be a strong association between lack of exercise, obesity and a resulting risk of developing type 2 diabetes  For this reason, type 2 DM is most prevalent in “western” economically developed contries  More than 2M people in UK have diabetes

14. Islets of Langerhans pancreas cell section through pancreas of patient with diabetes mellitus Image source: Bergman (2006) and Michler (2006)

15. Sexually Transmitted Diseases  STDs are one of the few emerging diseases that are not stricly related to economic wealth (love is free!!!!)  Most STDs are really lifestyle diseases rather than emerging diseases – many STDs were caught and spread by amorous sailors from European colonial powers visiting islands and previously unchartered lands

16. Sexually Transmitted Diseases  What we might term as “emerging diseases” are those STDs which are relatively new and for which there is no cure – principally HIV  Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a retrovirus  HIV leads to a clinical condition known as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) which may take a decade to develop

17. Sexually Transmitted Diseases  HIV was isolated in 1983 and was often linked to mainly homosexual activity – paticularly in the Los Angeles and San Francisco regions of the US  It has claimed a number of high profile people (actors and scientists) who have been active in raising public awareness

18. Sexually Transmitted Diseases  In fact, HIV is known to be transmitted through unprotected heterosexual activity, blood transfusions and medical procedures where hygiene rules are ignored  Once HIV develops into AIDS the result is a progressive decline in immune status. Cause of death may be a common cold or septicaemia from cut

19. Sexually Transmitted Diseases  HIV is believed to have resulted from a “crosing over” from a known animal disease affecting chimpanzees – Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV)  Two main types of HIV HIV-1 most prevalent in western societies HIV-1 & HIV-2 found mainly in Africa HIV-2 is less aggressive form

20. Sexually Transmitted Diseases  HIV-1 sub-types (known as “clades”) are very strongly associated with geography and vary from country to country  Epidemiology of all STDs in human society is usually a direct result of: Social and moral beliefs Urbanisation and household occupancy patterns Religious belief

22. Alcohol related illness  Alcohol abuse has seen a resurgence in recent years  Around the middle of the 19 th century it was quite common for people of all ages to be habitual gin drinkers – mostly the working classes  Alcohol consumption declined during the 20 th century – until the last few decades

23. Alcohol related illness  Innovations by breweries have led to alcohol consumption to increase – particularly amongst the young  Slick advertising, bulk buy deals and especially “alcopops” and vodka based drinks have allowed more wealthy youngsters to imbibe on a regular basis  It is essentially a legal form of drug abuse

24. Alcohol related illness  Long term effects of alcohol abuse include Serious mental health problems Loss of libido, erectile dysfunction and sterility Damage to heart walls and arterial hardening Liver damage Premature facial scarring (strawberry nose) Cognitive and motor function impairment Social exclusion, depression and suicide

25. Alcohol related illness  In addition to the ill effects for the individual other notable effects include Violence and physical injuries (falling over) Domestic violence Drink-driving or work-related accidents operating machinery

30. The rest….  Allergies food alergies and certain textiles  Car accidents  Drugs  Asthma not really fully understood  Stress  Smoking