New diseases arise as environments destroyed, says UN/Dogs share personality traits

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New diseases arise as environments destroyed, says UN

By Michael McCarthy, Environment Editor

22 February 2005

 

 

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/story.jsp?story=613488

 

 

 

Changes to the environment that are sweeping the planet are bringing

about a rise in infectious diseases, the United Nations Environment

Programme (Unep) has warned.

 

Loss of forests; the building of roads and dams; urban growth; the

clearing of natural habitats for agriculture; mining; and pollution of

coastal waters are promoting conditions under which new and old pathogens

can thrive, according to research published today in Unep's Global

Environment Outlook Year Book for 2004/2005.

 

Ailments previously unknown in human beings are appearing, such as the

Nipah virus, which until recently was found normally in Asian fruit bats,

according to the report.

 

Nipah's emergence in the late 1990s as an often fatal disease in

humans has been linked to a combination of forest fires in Sumatra and the

clearance of natural forests in Malaysia for palm plantations. In searching

for fruit, bats were forced into closer contact with domestic pigs, giving

the virus its chance to spread to humans.

 

Climate change in particular may aggravate the threats of infectious

diseases in three ways, the report suggests. First, by increasing the

temperatures under which many diseases and their carriers flourish.

 

Second, by further stressing and altering habitats. For example, the

geographic range and seasonality of two of the world's most serious

mosquito-borne infections, malaria and dengue fever, are very sensitive to

changes in climate. Also, Neissseria meningitidis, a common cause of

meningitis, can be spread many miles in the dusty conditions that occur

following prolonged drought in the Sahel.

 

Third, climate change may increase the number of environmental

refugees who are forced to migrate to other communities, or even countries.

This in turn will also favour the spread of diseases from one location to

another.Overall, it seems that intact habitats and landscapes tend to keep

infectious agents in check.

 

The issue of environmental degradation and a rise of many new and old

infectious diseases is a complex, sometimes subtle one that is causing

increasing concern among scientists and disease specialists.

 

Many scientists are now convinced that ecological disruption, dramatic

environmental change, and poor handling of human and animal wastes are

playing an important part in the spread of diseases such as malaria,

bilharzia, Japanese encephalitis, and dengue haemorrhagic fever.

 

The report is based on research by some of the leading specialists.

They include Tony McMichael of the Australian National University, Bernard

Goldstein of the University of Pittsburgh and Jonathan Patz of the

University of Wisconsin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

24 February 2005 00:42

 

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Man's best friend is shown to share personality traits

By Steve Connor

22 February 2005

 

 

Scientists have confirmed what every dog lover has suspected: pets

have personalities. And a psychologist, Sam Gosling, has gone as far as to

suggest that dogs and their potential owners should be matched for

personality before they start living together.

 

Dr Gosling, of the University of Texas at Austin, has done research

showing that dogs have the same sort of personality traits often used to

describe people.

 

He told the American Association for the Advancement of Science that

if owners and dogs could be suitably matched, then it may overcome the

problem of many canines being left in dogs' homes because they are deemed to

be " unsuitable " .

 

" Dog shelters have to kill hundreds of dogs if they cannot find them

homes, so they have a high incentive for trying to work out how well-matched

a dog would be to a new owner, " Dr Gosling said.

 

Dr Gosling asked dog owners to assess their pets on five criteria

normally used by psychologists to judge human personality. These are

extroversion, agreeableness, emotional stability, openness to new

experiences, and conscientiousness - the ability to control impulses.

 

People who did not know the dog then rated its personality based on

how it reacted in tests. They included finding a hidden biscuit and coping

with its owner leaving with another dog. Dr Gosling said: " We found the

tests usually correlated very well with what the owners said about their

dog's personality. The evidence that dogs have personality is as strong as

the evidence that humans have personality. "

 

Dr Gosling said that while it was obvious to owners that their dogs

had personality, the idea was often dismissed out of hand by scientists.

When he suggested applying measures of human personality to dogs he met

strong resistance from colleagues. " I had people yelling at me that I was

bringing the field into disrepute, " he said.

 

PUPPY LOVE PAIRINGS

 

Geri Halliwell and Harry

 

Harry the shih tzu is one of the few constants in Halliwell's life,

compensating for her turbulent romances and fluctuating waistline. Like her,

he seems to enjoy the party scene.

 

Britney Spears and Bitbit

 

The world of pop is a fickle place. Bitbit the chihuahua only joined

the Britney line-up in December, but soon he will have to cope with Spears'

latest acquisition, a Maltese terrier.

 

Brian Sewell and Jack

 

Art critic Brian Sewell has a soft spot for strays. Latest addition is

Jack the whippet, so-called because she resembles a Giacometti sculpture. If

only Sewell was as kind to new art ...

 

Paul O'Grady and Buster

 

Buster may look like a pampered showbiz pooch, but when O'Grady

suffered a heart attack three years ago, it was with Buster that he escaped

London for country life in Kent.

24 February 2005 00:42

 

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