Abbott joins CLIMADE consortium to combat climate change-amplified epidemics

Abbott, a global healthcare company, announced its partnership with the Climate Amplified Disease and Epidemics (CLIMADE) consortium on Thursday, joining hands with scientists in public health agencies, academia, and industry worldwide to tackle viral outbreaks influenced by climate change. The consortium aims to enhance surveillance tools and expand access to resources to decrease the impact of diseases and epidemics amplified by climate change.

Climate change and its impact on infectious diseases

Climate change has the potential to accelerate the spread of infectious diseases, particularly those transmitted by animals or water. Rising temperatures and increased extreme weather events, such as droughts and flooding, can create conditions that foster the growth and spread of pathogens. CLIMADE-affiliated scientists trained in infectious diseases, bioinformatics, and data science are focused on developing technology to aggregate environmental, weather, and viral sequencing datasets to predict, track, and control outbreaks of disease influenced by changing climate.

Abbott’s contribution to CLIMADE

As part of the Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition, Abbott’s diagnostics business will provide viral sequencing and testing data for the technology being developed. The company can also provide diagnostic testing for potential outbreaks. Abbott’s contribution will assist in tracking and predicting events so that testing and medical resources can be deployed to prevent the spread of disease.

Initial work in Africa and expanding to other regions

CLIMADE’s initial work will begin with disease surveillance in Africa, a region that is often affected by infectious disease outbreaks. The organization plans to extend its work to other regions globally. By identifying potential outbreaks early, resources can be sent to that location to mitigate the outbreak and prevent further spread.

The significance of Abbott’s collaboration with CLIMADE

The partnership between Abbott and CLIMADE will allow for better understanding and management of disease outbreaks that are impacted by climate change. The ability to track weather patterns and environmental factors will enable scientists to predict and respond to potential outbreaks more efficiently. Gavin Cloherty, PhD, Head of Infectious Disease Research and the Pandemic Defense Coalition, said that Abbott’s work with CLIMADE is focused on tracking and predicting events so that testing and medical resources can be deployed to prevent the spread of disease, making a real impact in communities and people’s lives.

Conclusion

As climate change continues to affect our planet, its impact on infectious diseases must be addressed. The partnership between Abbott and CLIMADE is a step towards combating the impact of climate change on viral outbreaks. Through the consortium’s work, Abbott’s contribution will assist in tracking and predicting events so that testing and medical resources can be deployed to prevent the spread of disease, making a significant impact in communities and people’s lives.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Abbott and what is its role in the CLIMADE consortium?

  Abbott is a global healthcare company that specializes in diagnostics, medical devices, and nutrition products. Its role in the CLIMADE consortium is to provide viral sequencing and testing data for the technology being developed, as well as diagnostic testing for potential outbreaks.

• What is the CLIMADE consortium and how does it plan to achieve its goals?

  The CLIMADE consortium is a group comprising global scientists in public health agencies, academia, and industry focused on viral outbreaks affected or caused by climate change. Its mission is to improve surveillance tools and expand access to resources to decrease the impact of diseases and epidemics amplified by climate change. The consortium plans to achieve its goals by developing technology to aggregate environmental, weather, and viral sequencing datasets to predict, track, and control outbreaks of disease influenced by changing climate.

• What types of infectious diseases are most affected by climate change and how are they transmitted?

  Infectious diseases that are most affected by climate change include those transmitted by animals or water, such as malaria, dengue fever, and cholera. Rising temperatures and increased extreme weather events such as droughts and flooding have the potential to accelerate their spread. They can be transmitted through insect bites, contaminated food or water, or contact with infected animals or people.

• Why is CLIMADE’s initial work focused on disease surveillance in Africa and which specific regions in Africa will be targeted?

  CLIMADE’s initial work is focused on disease surveillance in Africa because it is a continent that is particularly vulnerable to infectious disease outbreaks influenced by climate change. The specific regions in Africa that will be targeted have not been specified in the article.