Environmental effects on health

1. Topic: Environmentally Transmitted
Infectious Disease
Humna Irfan
BS-5th Semester
Topic: Environmentally transmitted
infectious diseases in Pakistan

2. Causes of Environmental
illnesses in our country
•Population explosion
•Increase in pollution
•Accumulation of wastes
•Unsatisfactory disposal
of radioactive waves
•Industrial effluents and
automobile exhausts.
•Insects and tics may act
as vector
•Urbanization of rural
and forest land to
accommodate the increasing number

3. Population Growth
•Population is one of many
factors influencing the environment.
•Health hazards associated with population growth
include emerging and re-emerging diseases, poor vector
control, poor sanitation, water and food contamination,
air pollution, and natural disasters.
•Densely crowded urban environments, especially those
without adequate sanitation, are of public health
concern because they promote disease epidemics.

4. Increase in Pollution
o Pollution is defined as the introduction into the
environment of substances harmful to humans and other
living organisms
oEnvironmental pollution has many facets, and the
resultant health risks include diseases in almost all organ
systems.
oEnvironmental issues in Pakistan which affect health
include air pollution,
water pollution, noise
pollution and land
pollution.

5. Accumulation of wastes
 Some waste will eventually rot, but not all, and in the process it
may smell, or generate methane gas, which is explosive and
contributes to the greenhouse effect.
 Incinerating waste also causes problems, because plastics tend
to produce toxic substances, such as dioxins, when they are burnt.
 Gases from incineration may
cause air pollution and contribute
to acid rain, while the ash from
incinerators may contain heavy
metals and other toxins.

6. Radioactive waves
 A major environmental concern related to nuclear power is
the creation of radioactive wastes such as uranium mill
tailings, spent (used) reactor fuel, and other radioactive
wastes. These materials can remain radioactive and
dangerous to human health for thousands of years.
 Nuclear has long been considered a great way to generate
the power that lights and heats our homes.
 Exposure to very high levels of radiation, such as being
close to an atomic blast, can cause acute health effects such
as skin burns and acute radiation syndrome called
“radiation sickness“.

7. Industrial effluents and
automobile exhausts
 Industrial air pollution is much more dangerous than
traffic. Increasing numbers of children around the
state are suffering from respiratory problems
coughing, wheezing and asthma attacks.
 Motor vehicle emissions contribute to ambient levels
of air toxics known or suspected as human or animal
carcinogens. Exposures to air toxics can also cause
noncancerous health effects, such as neurological,
cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive and/or
immune system damage.

8. Insects and tics
 Different species is central since
insects and ticks may act as vectors
and transmit disease agents between
species and individuals.
 Small rodents, birds and other animals may act as
reservoirs for disease agents.
 Grassing animals or humans present in the nature may
also be directly exposed to pathogens.

9.  Rural urbanization is taking
place rapidly in most areas of
Pakistani Punjab.
 Substandard housing, crowding, air pollution,
insufficient or contaminated drinking water,
inadequate sanitation and solid waste disposal
services, vector-borne diseases and industrial waste
increased motor vehicle traffic effect on physical and
mental health
 Forest visits promote both physical and mental health
by reducing stress, losing forest means losing human
health
Urbanization and forest
land accommodation

10. Common Infectious diseases in
Pakistan

11. Environmentally Transmitted
Infectious Disease in Pakistan
 Malaria: Caused by single-cell parasitic
protozoa Plasmodium; transmitted to humans via the
bite of the female Anopheles mosquito
 Dengue fever: Viral disease associated with urban
environments; manifests as sudden onset of fever and
severe headache
 Influenza is a viral infection that attacks your
respiratory system your nose, throat and lungs.
 Plague :bacterial disease transmitted by fleas
normally associated with rats; person-to-person
airborne transmission also possible.

12.  Chikungunya virus is spread to people by the bite of an
infected mosquito. The most common symptoms of infection
are fever and joint pain.
 Tuberculosis is a disease caused by bacteria called
Mycobacterium tuberculosis which usually attack the lungs,
but can also damage other parts of the body.
 Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused
by measles virus. Symptoms usually develop 10–12 days after
exposure to an infected person and last 7–10 days.
 Congo Virus can be transmitted in human body by getting
bitten by an infected tick living on the host animal or coming
into contact with the blood, tissues or fresh meat of the
infected animal.

13. Current pandemic in Pakistan
 A newly identified corona virus has caused a
worldwide pandemic of respiratory illness, called
COVID-19.
 This virus probably originally emerged from an animal
source, but now is able to spread from person-to-
person. Corona virus generally
spread by respiratory droplets
generated when a sick person
coughs. or sneezes.

14. Thank you