Climate change, human migration and the (re)emergence of Neglected Tropical Diseases in the Andes-Amazonia region

Two complementary on-going research projects  aim to understand the likely relationships between climate change, human migration and the (re)emergence of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) in the Andes-Amazon region. The FAPESP project focus on Climate Change and the (re)emergence of both American Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (ACL) and Bartonellosis (Enfermedad de Carrion), in the South-western Amazonia tri-national borders, while the SNIS project focus on how migration at both the Inter-Andean valleys and the Andes-Amazon region is due to environmental factors and related to the geographic expansion of these disfiguring (and sometimes deadly) NTDs caused by sand fly bites. Movement of persons between endemic and non-endemic areas increase distribution and severity of these two NTDs, and migration poses difficulties to disease control. Social behaviour, livelihood conditions and environmental factors, including climate change, can increase migration movements and risks for NTDs transmission.

A multidisciplinary team of social, biological and public health researchers from Brazil, Peru and Switzerland collects primary and secondary data from multiple sources and perspectives, triangulates findings for in-depth knowledge and validation explored in the epidemiological study, and compares migrant and non-migrant health outcomes and risk attributed to social determinants, environment and behaviour. Spatial mapping will explore spatial patterns and the spatial associations of migration, ACL and Bartonellosis incidences, and environmental risks. At the end, the policy analysis will improve the understanding of regional migration patterns between the Andes and Amazonia, identifying possible climate induced migration, and evaluating to what extend these factors are related to cross-border health access and to NTDs’ transmission.

For more information, contact:

• Professor Manuel Cesario, MD, PhD, FLS
• Graduate Programme on Health Promotion
• The University of Franca - UNIFRAN - Brazil
• manuel.cesario@uol.com.br