From:Environmental Health
Posted online: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 5:50:36 PM
Blood Meant for Transfusions Can Get Contaminated Due to Global Warming
Increasing temperatures can contaminate blood meant for transfusions, say researchers.
According to a new report by West Australian researchers, global warming will increase the prevalence of viruses, like dengue and Ross River, already circulating in the northern regions of the country.
The heat could potentially increase the range of organisms that can transmit the viruses and make them more infectious more quickly by accelerating life cycles, said Professor Robert Dunstan, a specialist in emerging infectious diseases at Curtin University in Perth.
“These condition are expected to lead to higher levels of virus activity and greater exposure of humans to the viruses,” News.com.au quoted Prof Dunstan, as saying.
He warned that there was potential for blood transfusion to act as an “efficient vehicle” for transmitting these viruses.
The review published in the latest Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health confirms Australia’s blood supply is among the safest in the world for currently screened viral pathogens like HIV and hepatitis.
“However, Australia has a number of other viral pathogens with the potential to threaten the safety of the blood supply such as the Ross River, Barmah Forrest, Kunjin, Japanese Encephalitis, Murray Valley Encephalitis and dengue viruses,” Prof Dunstan said.
Source-ANI
SAV/L
The obvious question that needs to be asked of every AGW advocating 1st world government is why are they not even slightly focused on any form of population management?
Because birthrate have plunged since 1990 to ‘way below replacement rate. If it weren’t for increasing longevity and immigration, populations would be undergoing a crash of bubonesque proportions.
By 2050 or so, when the rest of the world has riched up, the world’s population level will begin the “great plunge”. The only way to avert that demographic disaster is to “cure” old age (which may well happen within our lifetimes).
“But it drives me crazy when the poor are carefully trained to resent the rich.” Evan Jones
Actually, their resentment is partially justified since we have a dishonest banking system which loots them via inflation. Not only is it dishonest but it leads to booms and busts and finances foreign entanglements.
If we get more anti-business regulation, it will be because of the fractional-reserve bankers.
I’d bet the bankers kept their heads during the French Revolution by bribing the new government with paper money.
http://www.mises.org for more info
Evan, “By 2050 or so, when the rest of the world has riched up, the world’s population level will begin the “great plunge”. The only way to avert that demographic disaster is to “cure” old age (which may well happen within our lifetimes).”
I am not sure whether there will be a plunge (or even a reduction). Population leveling in 2050 is based on low birth rate, which may or may not be true at that time. Obviously they were wrong when they made such predictions about the U.S. population: please see:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/07/us/07census.html
Can’t pay my mortgage…
Finally, a topic I can contribute something to. for all those that worry about global warming endangering the blood supply, my answer is Oxyglobin (www.oxyglobin.com). it is hemoglobin (that carries oxygen) in a stable form. the veterinary product has an approx 3yr room temp shelf life (as in leave it on the shelf until you need it in a year or two). unfortunately, since it is bovine hemoglobin, and most useful for acute blood loss (like trauma), no one wants to go through the practical rigamarole necessary to test it to get FDA approval.
and don’t hold your breath about the stem cell grown red blood cells. Oxyglobin came out 10 years ago for use in dogs, and hasn’t shown any signs of entering the US human market. South africa has a similar product for humans, but good luck getting it here.
Kristen Westhoff, DVM
John: True. But we’ve had a lot of immigration. So not only is that a lot of people added, but immigrants tend to have a higher birth rate (which i regard as a Good thing).
But look at Western Europe.
What I think is happening is that the world is reaching a point where a child is not a financial asset (to be sent to the canneries), but as a tremendous expense. Thus, birthrates have declined all over the world since 1990 (even in the US, where we are currently growing at 1m/year rather than 1.3m/year).
It’s true that no one can know the future, but I do predict a drop in birthrates (though also possibly partially offset by an end of old age and other medical advance).
Also consider that China currently has 120 male births to female. (Bad but not quite as bad in India.) You know what effect THAT has on population!
Sorry if this has already been posted – now AGW is linked to skin cancer too:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6896174.stm
Evan, “What I think is happening is that the world is reaching a point where a child is not a financial asset (to be sent to the canneries), but as a tremendous expense.”
I hope you are right.
I do not worry about China, India is a completely different story. Also, Evan, on your comment (but immigrants tend to have a higher birth rate (which i regard as a Good thing)): unfortunately the percapita energy requirement etc. in the U.S. is so high, that population growth in the U.S. will have a disproportionate environmental effect (that is, of course, if you believe that more waste and higher usage of energy has environmental impact).
This may qualify for Nutty Story #7.
http://www.wisconsinenvironment.org/uploads/Lb/l4/Lbl49XeYRVxP-kWjdn89bA/Factsheet—global-warming-and-football.pdf
This needs to updated using temperatures from 1971-2008 instead of 2000. They may find that the Geen Bay Packers home opener will be played on the frozen tundra of Lambeau in the near future, restoring the hertofore implied advantage.
Also, it’s interesting how in the recommendation at the bottom of the page the use the euphemism “gobal cooling polution” for that evil gas CO2.
Here’s the link to the full article.
http://www.wisconsinenvironment.org/newsroom/global-warming/global-warming-news/could-global-warming-threaten-the-packers-edge