Vectorville - Disease Vectors and Climate Change
Students learn about how climate change can impact the geographical range of disease vectors.
In this workshop, students analyze the symptoms of seven patients and try to determine the disease vector responsible for the illness. Students will also discuss how climate change can affect the geographical range of disease vectors and a few things we can do to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
What You Need
Materials per group:
- 7 Vectorville- Wanted Posters
- 7 sets of Vectorville- Case Study Cards (3 per case study)
Guide:
Presentation:
For virtual delivery, provide the teacher with PDFs of the wanted posters and case study cards.
Safety Notes
Ensure you are familiar with Let's Talk Science's precautions with respect to safe virtual outreach to youth.
What To Do
Introduction
- Discuss climate change and how greenhouse gases contribute to climate change.
- Discuss the impact of climate change on the movement of disease carrying organisms.
Activity
- Distribute the packages to the students containing the 7 Wanted Posters and the 7 sets of Case Study Cards (3 per case) - students may work in pairs.
- Set the stage: "You live in the town of Vectorville. Witnesses in counties surrounding Vectorville have started reporting signs of disease vectors in their towns. You have 7 patients and 3 separate witness accounts of the patients' symptoms. Your task is to determine if the disease vectors have entered your town and if so, which ones. Report your findings to the sheriff."
- Using case 1, witness 1 as an example, explain how to analyze the wanted posters and symptoms to determine the suspects/disease vectors.
- Allow students to work on the cases for about 15 minutes. Do not rush them.
- Once ready, go through the presentation slides and discuss each case and the responsible disease vector.
Wrap-up
- Discuss the impact of climate change on the ecological range of disease vectors.
- Discuss some of the ways we can decrease greenhouse gas emissions and slow down climate change.
- Discuss some of the careers related to the topics discussed in today's workshop and what they will need (education, experience, etc.) to get into those careers.
Discovery
The disease vectors discussed in this workshop include:
- Mosquitos (Case 1): Anopheles female mosquitos transmit the Plasmodium parasite that is the cause of malaria.
- Black-legged tick (Case 2): carries the Borrelia bacteria that causes lyme disease.
- Tsetse fly (Case 3): carries the Trypanosoma parasite that causes African sleeping sickness.
- Body lice, chiggars and fleas (Case 4): carry the Rickettsia bacteria that causes typhus fever.
- Assassin bug (Case 5): carries the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite that causes Chagas disease.
- Fleas (Case 6) : carries the bacteria Yersinia pestis that causes the plague. There are three types of plague
- Pneumonic plague
- Bubonic plague
- Septicemic plague
- Sand fly (Case 7): carries the Leishmania parasite that cause skin sores and sometimes disease to internal organs.
Scientists have found evidence to suggest some disease vectors are moving more north-ward with climate change. In areas with disease vectors, there are controls in place to help control the spread of diseases (not all). If the vectors move north, the diseases they carry may also move to new areas. Scientists are keeping an eye on many of these disease vectors to help track their movement. Often, misdiagnoses happen because doctors are not aware that the new disease is in the area.
What's Happening?
The disease vectors discussed in this workshop include:
- Mosquitos (Case 1): Anopheles female mosquitos transmit the Plasmodium parasite that is the cause of malaria.
- Black-legged tick (Case 2): carries the Borrelia bacteria that causes lyme disease.
- Tsetse fly (Case 3): carries the Trypanosoma parasite that causes African sleeping sickness.
- Body lice, chiggars and fleas (Case 4): carry the Rickettsia bacteria that causes typhus fever.
- Assassin bug (Case 5): carries the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite that causes Chagas disease.
- Fleas (Case 6) : carries the bacteria Yersinia pestis that causes the plague. There are three types of plague
- Pneumonic plague
- Bubonic plague
- Septicemic plague
- Sand fly (Case 7): carries the Leishmania parasite that cause skin sores and sometimes disease to internal organs.
Why Does It Matter?
Scientists have found evidence to suggest some disease vectors are moving more north-ward with climate change. In areas with disease vectors, there are controls in place to help control the spread of diseases (not all). If the vectors move north, the diseases they carry may also move to new areas. Scientists are keeping an eye on many of these disease vectors to help track their movement. Often, misdiagnoses happen because doctors are not aware that the new disease is in the area.