Discrepancies in data reporting of zoonotic infectious diseases across the Nordic countries - a call for action in the era of climate change

Abstract

Emerging infections have in recent years caused enormous health problems. About 70% of these infections are zoonotic e.g. arise from natural foci in the environment. As climate change impacts ecosystems there is an ongoing transition of infectious diseases in humans. With the fastest changes of the climate occurring in the Arctic, this area is important to monitor for infections with potentials to be climate sensitive. To meet the increasing demand for evidence-based policies regarding climate-sensitive infectious diseases, epidemiological studies are vital. A review of registered data for nine potentially climate-sensitive infections, collected from health authorities in Denmark/Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, found that performing such studies across countries is constrained by incompatible reporting systems and differences in regulations. To address this, international standardisation is recommended.

Keywords

Climate-sensitive infections; reporting systems; Nordic countries

Published in

International Journal of Circumpolar Health
2019, Volume: 78, number: 1, article number: 1601991Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

SLU Authors

• Berggren, Camilla

  • Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Thierfelder, Tomas

  • Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG3 Good health and well-being
SDG13 Climate action


UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Sciences
Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology
Climate Research


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2019.1601991

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/99941