Oyinloye Emmanuel Abiodun, Ogunkola Isaac Olushola, Adebisi Yusuff Adebayo, Adewole Iwatutu Joyce, Lucero-Prisno Don Eliseo
Department of Microbiology Faculty of Science Federal University Oye Ekiti Nigeria.
Youth RISE International Dublin Ireland.
Public Health Chall. 2024 Jun 16;3(2):e192. doi: 10.1002/puh2.192. eCollection 2024 Jun.
The increasing effects of climate change have intensified floods globally, especially in Africa, where millions of people live in poverty and are highly vulnerable to flooding. Climate change disproportionately affects the vulnerable, who are least equipped to handle its consequences, by exacerbating their situation. One such consequence is the potential for increased human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission. Africa has been disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic. It now faces the additional challenge of a changing climate and floods, which are capable of increasing HIV transmission in Africa through several pathways. They can force population displacement and migration, leading to the expansion of sexual networks among people living with HIV (PLWHIV). They may also create conditions conducive to the spread of other infections. Floods can cause food insecurity, which can result in various sexual behaviors that expose people to HIV infection. As global warming is linked to a decrease in African food production capacity, the effect of food insecurity on HIV may be prominent in countries where transactional sexual means is a major route of HIV transmission. Floods can also hinder the provision of HIV services, such as pre- and postexposure prophylaxis and antiretroviral therapy distribution, which may worsen the health outcomes of PLWHIV and promote HIV transmission, particularly in rural and remote communities. It is crucial to develop a climate-resilient framework, including education, sustained access to HIV services, and promotion of social welfare for HIV prevention and treatment, to address the complex relationship between HIV, floods, and climate change.
气候变化影响的加剧已在全球范围内加剧了洪水灾害，尤其是在非洲，那里数百万人口生活贫困，极易受到洪水影响。气候变化对弱势群体的影响尤为严重，这些人应对气候变化后果的能力最弱，气候变化只会加剧他们的困境。其中一个后果就是人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）传播增加的可能性。非洲受HIV疫情的影响尤为严重。如今，非洲面临着气候变化和洪水带来的额外挑战，这些因素能够通过多种途径增加非洲的HIV传播。洪水会迫使人口流离失所和迁移，导致HIV感染者（PLWHIV）的性网络扩大。洪水还可能创造有利于其他感染传播的条件。洪水会导致粮食不安全，进而引发各种性行为，使人们面临HIV感染风险。由于全球变暖与非洲粮食生产能力下降有关，在以交易性行为作为HIV主要传播途径的国家，粮食不安全对HIV的影响可能尤为突出。洪水还会阻碍HIV服务的提供，如暴露前和暴露后预防以及抗逆转录病毒疗法的分发，这可能会使PLWHIV的健康状况恶化，并促进HIV传播，特别是在农村和偏远社区。制定一个具有气候适应能力的框架至关重要，该框架包括教育、持续提供HIV服务以及促进预防和治疗HIV的社会福利，以应对HIV、洪水和气候变化之间的复杂关系。
