Immune-mediated disease caused by climate change-associated environmental hazards: mitigation and adaptation

  • Global warming and climate change have increased the pollen burden and the frequency and intensity of wildfires, sand and dust storms, thunderstorms, and heatwaves—with concomitant increases in air pollution, heat stress, and flooding. These environmental stressors alter the human exposome and trigger complex immune responses. In parallel, pollutants, allergens, and other environmental factors increase the risks of skin and mucosal barrier disruption and microbial dysbiosis, while a loss of biodiversity and reduced exposure to microbial diversity impairs tolerogenic immune development. The resulting immune dysregulation is contributing to an increase in immune-mediated diseases such as asthma and other allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. It is now abundantly clear that multisectoral, multidisciplinary, and transborder efforts based on Planetary Health and One Health approaches (which consider the dependence of human health on the environment and natural ecosystems) areGlobal warming and climate change have increased the pollen burden and the frequency and intensity of wildfires, sand and dust storms, thunderstorms, and heatwaves—with concomitant increases in air pollution, heat stress, and flooding. These environmental stressors alter the human exposome and trigger complex immune responses. In parallel, pollutants, allergens, and other environmental factors increase the risks of skin and mucosal barrier disruption and microbial dysbiosis, while a loss of biodiversity and reduced exposure to microbial diversity impairs tolerogenic immune development. The resulting immune dysregulation is contributing to an increase in immune-mediated diseases such as asthma and other allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. It is now abundantly clear that multisectoral, multidisciplinary, and transborder efforts based on Planetary Health and One Health approaches (which consider the dependence of human health on the environment and natural ecosystems) are urgently needed to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. Key actions include reducing emissions and improving air quality (through reduced fossil fuel use), providing safe housing (e.g., improving weatherization), improving diets (i.e., quality and diversity) and agricultural practices, and increasing environmental biodiversity and green spaces. There is also a pressing need for collaborative, multidisciplinary research to better understand the pathophysiology of immune diseases in the context of climate change. New data science techniques, biomarkers, and economic models should be used to measure the impact of climate change on immune health and disease, to inform mitigation and adaptation efforts, and to evaluate their effectiveness. Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) considerations should be integral to these efforts to address disparities in the impact of climate change.show moreshow less

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Author:Ioana Agache, Cezmi Akdis, Mubeccel Akdis, Ali Al-Hemoud, Isabella Annesi-Maesano, John Balmes, Lorenzo Cecchi, Athanasios Damialis, Tari Haahtela, Adam L. Haber, Jaime E. Hart, Marek Jutel, Yasutaka Mitamura, Blandina T. Mmbaga, Jae-Won Oh, Abbas Ostadtaghizadeh, Ruby Pawankar, Mary Prunicki, Harald Renz, Mary B. Rice, Nelson Augusto Rosario Filho, Vanitha Sampath, Chrysanthi Skevaki, Francis Thien, Claudia Traidl-HoffmannORCiDGND, Gary W. K. Wong, Kari C. Nadeau
URN:urn:nbn:de:bvb:384-opus4-1257811
Frontdoor URLhttps://opus.bibliothek.uni-augsburg.de/opus4/125781
ISSN:2813-6330OPAC
Parent Title (English):Frontiers in Science
Publisher:Frontiers Media S.A.
Place of publication:Lausanne
Type:Article
Language:English
Date of first Publication:2024/04/04
Publishing Institution:Universität Augsburg
Release Date:2025/10/14
Tag:air pollution; allergy; asthma; biodiversity; climate change; immune diseases; mitigation; pollen
Volume:2
First Page:1279192
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3389/fsci.2024.1279192
Institutes:Medizinische Fakultät
Medizinische Fakultät / Universitätsklinikum
Medizinische Fakultät / Lehrstuhl für Umweltmedizin
Dewey Decimal Classification:6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
Licence (German):CC-BY 4.0: Creative Commons: Namensnennung