Vibrios, cholera and climate change

Question 1

Different microbes have different optimum

Answer 1

Temperatures for growth

Question 2

Pathogens on and in us have an optimum temperature

Answer 2

Near ours, 37 degrees

Question 3

Changing climates can select for

Answer 3

Pathogens that live at higher temperatures

Question 4

Dangerous pathogens in the oceans can live on

Answer 4

Algae

Question 5

Climate change can cause

Answer 5

Algal blooms

Question 6

Algal blooms can be food (substrates) for

Answer 6

Pathogenic bacteria

Causes bacterial proliferation

Question 7

Climate change can vary algal growth

Answer 7

• Diurnally
• Seasonally
• Binanually
• Longer term globally

Question 8

The current cholera pandemic (7th) has been ongoing since

Answer 8

1961

World’s longest running pandemic

Question 9

Cholera affects how many people annually?

Answer 9

2.9m

Question 10

Endemic in more than

Answer 10

47 countries

Question 11

In Africa more than

Answer 11

40m people live in cholera hot spots

Question 12

Factors that drive outbreaks:

Answer 12

1. Climate change
2. Forced migration
3. Prolonged conflict
4. Urbanization
5. Population growth
6. Poor access to health services

Question 13

Fundamentally, cholera is a result of a lack of

Answer 13

Adequate water and sanitation

Question 14

More than 2 billion drink from

Answer 14

Water sources contaminated with faeces

Question 15

Cholera is a disease requiring

Answer 15

Notification of the WHO

Question 16

Cases of cholera are published in the

Answer 16

Weekly epidemiological record

Actual cases are much higher than recorded cases

Question 17

A new oral cholera vaccine has been developed

Answer 17

And is being used in Yemen (read!)

Question 18

The WHO is attempting to reduce cholera deaths by

Answer 18

90% by 2030

Question 19

The most studied group affected by climate change is

Answer 19

Vector borne diseases

Question 20

Vector-borne definition

Answer 20

Carried by a host

Question 21

Climate change affects the vector as much as the

Answer 21

Pathogen

Question 22

Ecological disturbance (eg flooding) can cause

Answer 22

Increased human contact with vectors

Due to habitat changes

Question 23

Vibrio haemolyticus causes

Answer 23

Bloody diarrhoea

Question 24

Vibrio vulnificus causes

Answer 24

Necrotising fasciitis

Responsible for 95% seafood deaths

Question 25

Cholera cases are

Answer 25

Seasonal

Question 26

Warm water and zooplankton blooms

Answer 26

Are associated with high levels of vibrio cholerae

Question 27

Epidemics coincide with

Answer 27

Dry weather and warm water temperatures

Question 28

Temperature regulates the transcription of

Answer 28

toxT gene encoding regulatory protein that transcribes virulence factors including cholera toxin (CT) and toxin coregulated pilus (TCP)

Question 29

toxT

Answer 29

regulatory protein involved in transcription of virulence factors including CT and TCP

Question 30

ENSO

Answer 30

El nino southern oscillation | Disruption of ocean-atmosphere system in Tropical Pacific every few years, often in december

Question 31

ENSO triggers change in

Answer 31

Global weather patterns

Question 32

ENSO effects

Answer 32

1. Trade winds relax in C and E pacific 2. Reduced upwelling of nutrients and cool water in E pacific (leading to a rise in SST sea surface temps) 3. Increased rainfall in S USA and Peru 4. Drought in W Pacific (Aus, Indo)

Question 33

Why does vibrio attach to zooplankton?

Answer 33

Zooplankton have chitin in cell walls Vibrio has a chitinase gene Vibrio makes a biofilm

Question 34

What does vibrio have that makes it unusual?

Answer 34

2 chromosomes | Large and small (genetic plasticity - genes can cause serotypes of cholera)

Question 35

What affects levels of vibrio

Answer 35

1. Temperature 2. Salinity 3. Sunlight 4. pH 5. Fe3+ 6. Algal growth 7. Chitin

Question 36

There is a correlation between

Answer 36

Sea surface temperature, sea surface height and cholera

Question 37

Predicative microbiology used SST, flooding, monsoons and other indicators to

Answer 37

Predict cholera outbreaks

Question 38

Predictive microbiology allows

Answer 38

The mobilisation of aid to affected areas

Question 39

Cholera is naturally present in

Answer 39

Warm brackish environments

Question 40

Association between cholera and

Answer 40

Copepods (small sea creatures) | Bacteria concentrated on the exoskeleton and gut of zooplankton

Question 41

Cholera is more prevalent when a

Answer 41

Copepod bloom occurs | Filtering can reduce cases