Dataset Information

Heat-attributable deaths between 1992 and 2009 in Seoul, South Korea.

ABSTRACT: Climate change may significantly affect human health. The possible effects of high ambient temperature must be better understood, particularly in terms of certain diseases' sensitivity to heat (as reflected in relative risks [RR]) and the consequent disease burden (number or fraction of cases attributable to high temperatures), in order to manage the threat.This study investigated the number of deaths attributable to abnormally high ambient temperatures in Seoul, South Korea, for a wide range of diseases.The relationship between mortality and daily maximum temperature using a generalized linear model was analyzed. The threshold temperature was defined as the 90th percentile of maximum daily temperatures. Deaths were classified according to ICD-10 codes, and for each disease, the RR and attributable fractions were determined. Using these fractions, the total number of deaths attributable to daily maximum temperatures above the threshold value, from 1992 to 2009, was calculated. Data analyses were conducted in 2012-2013.Heat-attributable deaths accounted for 3,177 of the 271,633 deaths from all causes. Neurological (RR 1.07; 95% CI, 1.04-1.11) and mental and behavioral disorders (RR 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.07) had relatively high increases in the RR of mortality. The most heat-sensitive diseases (those with the highest RRs) were not the diseases that caused the largest number of deaths attributable to high temperatures.This study estimated RRs and deaths attributable to high ambient temperature for a wide variety of diseases. Prevention-related policies must account for both particular vulnerabilities (heat-sensitive diseases with high RRs) and the major causes of the heat mortality burden (common conditions less sensitive to high temperatures).

SUBMITTER: Kim CT

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4334895 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Heat-attributable deaths between 1992 and 2009 in Seoul, South Korea.

Kim Clara T CT Lim Youn-Hee YH Woodward Alistair A Kim Ho H

PloS one 20150218 2

<h4>Background</h4>Climate change may significantly affect human health. The possible effects of high ambient temperature must be better understood, particularly in terms of certain diseases' sensitivity to heat (as reflected in relative risks [RR]) and the consequent disease burden (number or fraction of cases attributable to high temperatures), in order to manage the threat.<h4>Purpose</h4>This study investigated the number of deaths attributable to abnormally high ambient temperatures in Seou ...[more]

PMID: 25692296

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Project description:Lovebugs appeared in large numbers across a wide area in Seoul, South Korea, in June 2023. The sudden appearance of exotic insects not only discomforts people but also fosters anxiety, as their potential for pathogen transmission would be unknown. In this study, targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the 16S rRNA gene V4 region was performed using iSeq 100 to screen for bacteria in lovebugs. Forty-one lovebugs (20 females and 21 males) collected in Seoul, Korea, were identified as Plecia longiforceps based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 sequencing data using PCR. We analyzed the microbiome of the lovebugs and detected 453 species of bacteria. Among all bacteria screened based on NGS, Rickettsia was detected in all samples with an average relative abundance of 80.40%, followed by Pandoraea and Ewingella. Diversity (alpha and beta) between females and males did not differ; however, only Tumebacillus showed a higher relative abundance in females. Sequencing analysis of Rickettsia using a gltA gene-specific primer by PCR showed that it had higher sequence similarity to the Rickettsia symbiont of arthropods than to the spotted fever group rickettsiae. Eleven samples in which Pandoraea was detected by iSeq 100 were confirmed by PCR and exhibited 100% sequence identity to Pandoraea oxalativorans strain DSM 23570. Consequently, the likelihood of pathogen transmission to humans is low. The applied method may play a crucial role in swiftly identifying bacterial species in the event of future outbreaks of exotic insects that may be harmful to humans.IMPORTANCELovebugs have recently emerged in large numbers in Seoul, causing major concern regarding potential health risks. By performing the next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene V4 region, we comprehensively examined the microbiome of these insects. We identified the presence of numerous bacteria, including Rickettsia and Pandoraea. Reassuringly, subsequent tests confirmed that these detected bacteria were not pathogenic. The present study addresses health concerns related to lovebugs and shows the accuracy and efficiency of our detection technique. Such methods prove invaluable for rapidly identifying bacterial species during potential outbreaks of unfamiliar insects, thereby ensuring public safety.

Dataset Information

Heat-attributable deaths between 1992 and 2009 in Seoul, South Korea.

Publications

Heat-attributable deaths between 1992 and 2009 in Seoul, South Korea.

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