Global warming and planetary health: An open letter to the WHO from scientific and indigenous people urging for paleo-microbiology studies

Infect Genet Evol. 2020 Aug:82:104284. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104284. Epub 2020 Mar 10.

Abstract

This article, written by a collective of international researchers and worldwide representatives of indigenous populations, is an open letter to the WHO, based on the latest elements from the scientific literature, and the latest climatological data. It takes stock of the health consequences of global warming, and urges research organizations to take an interest in infectious agents formerly stored in the layers of ground (frozen or not) and now mobilized, then released from a distance.

Keywords: Global health; Medical anthropology; Microbiology; Planetary health.

MeSH terms

  • Cadaver
  • Epidemics
  • Global Health*
  • Global Warming*
  • Humans
  • Indigenous Peoples*
  • Permafrost
  • Soil Microbiology*
  • World Health Organization