Free Effects Of Vector-Borne Diseases On Human Population Question & Answer Sample

1) Population growth and overpopulation is one of the major problems of every developing country. The factors that influence population growth are:
a) Women getting married at early ages lead to a high birth rate.
b) Provision of health benefits to children, women and the elderly have contributed to decreased mortality rate, and thus increased birth rate.
c) Lack of family planning contributes to increased birth greatly.
According to census, The United States population as on June 11, 2016 is 323,747,258 with one birth in every eight seconds, one death in every seconds and one international migrant in every twenty eight seconds, with a net gain of one person every twelve seconds. Population growth has also contributed to several environmental issues. It has led to increased CO2 emissions of 3.5% since 1990. Increased population has led to an increased rate of land usage for productivity which increased from 4.5 to 14.1 billion hectares between 1961 and 2003. Increased population also means increased wastage, inadequate means of waste and sewage disposal and thus more of environmental pollution.
Sherbin, A. (2014). Population and Environment. Pub Med Central, 22-26.
2) The following communicable diseases are prevalent during summer and spring in the U.S:
a) The West Nile Virus – It causes an epidemic which is at its peak in summer. In the United States, around 700,000 people have become ill due to the West Nile Virus since 1999. Mostly, the infected show no symptoms of the disease. Only 1% shows symptoms of fever, headache or disorientation. The West Nile Virus is transmitted through mosquito bites, causing neurological illness such as encephalitis or meningitis. Use of insect repellants and lemon eucalyptus oil may help to prevent the infection.
b) Lyme Disease – It is a disease spread by bites from infected ticks. Around 300,000 infections occur each year in the United States. Ticks thrive in moist, humid environments during spring. Humans get bitten by ticks in woody or grassy areas, or during hiking and camping. Symptoms of the disease are rashes or fever. Use of repellants and regular body checking for the presence of ticks are ways to prevent infection.
c) Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) - It is a disease caused by tick bites. There are around 8.4 cases per million persons in the U.S. in 2008 who reported to have contracted the disease. The American dog tick or the R. rickettsii is the tick which transmits the bacterium to humans. The disease is at its peak in summer months with its onset in April. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache and muscle ache with rashes. Prevention is to avoid tick bites by avoiding tall grasses and environments with wild animals.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Vector-Borne Diseases. Retrieved from
CDC. Gov
http://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dvbd
3) Food borne illness
a) E-coli infection – E-coli bacteria of strain E0157:H7 cause the infection. It is usually found in improperly cooked ground beef which triggers the infection. Symptoms include fever, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Chronic infection may also lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) which may even lead to kidney failure. In 2014, around 1.8 million pounds of ground beef products were contaminated with the bacterial strain.
b) Food borne Intoxication
i. Gastroenteritis or stomach flu is a food borne intoxication caused by virus, bacteria, arthropods or parasites. The condition causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract which leads to diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and abdominal cramps. Contaminated water used for cooking or improperly and undercooked food are causes of such infections. In 2007, 17,000 people died from gastroenteritis. The number of gastroenteritis infected persons has doubled from 1999 to 2007. It is also a major cause of death worldwide.
ii. Staphylococcal Food Poisoning – This food borne intoxication is caused by eating foods that have been contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus. The bacterium, when ingested, produces toxins which cause the food poisoning. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea. Severe food poisoning may even require intravenous infusions.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Food Related Illness and Death in the
United States. Retrieved from CDC.Gov.
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/5/5/99-0502_article
4) The African continent lies in the tropical region which is home to breeding grounds of innumerable vectors and vector-borne diseases. CDC estimates that out of 627,000 malarial deaths that occur in the world, most of them are among African children. Africa is home to several other vectors such as dengue, Ebola virus, Zika virus, yellow fever virus etc. Most of these vectors have originated from Africa and still survive there with vicious cycles of infection. Climatic changes in the continent have led to increased rainfall in the region. This causes increase water stagnation, an excellent breeding ground for mosquitoes. Such phenomena can enrich inflictions of diseases like dengue thus worsening the condition. These vectors also target economically poor countries with low standards of living like Africa. Shifting population from the flooded coastal areas to better terrain brings with it the dangers of vectors prevalent in the shifting population. The United States along with the World Health Organization are working jointly with Africa to reduce the rate of vector-borne diseases. Consequences of such coordinated work have already been witnessed. Malarial death rates in the region have already been reduced to a half, promising a new beginning to disease-free Africa.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). World Health Day- Vector-Borne Diseases.
Retrieved from CDC.Gov.
http://www.cdc.gov/features/worldhealthday2014.