Foodborne climate-related diseases in Bahrain

Abstract EN

Background : There has been growing concern that climate change in Bahrain may have led to an increase in the incidence of foodborne diseases.

However, scarcity of available data makes it difficult to plan effective interventions. Objectives : To determine the incidence rates of foodborne climate-related diseases in Bahrain and explore their seasonal variation. Methods : All reported foodborne climate-related diseases and the total population for Bahrain were identified for the period 2001-2009.

Incidence rates per 100,000 and proportional incidence rates for these diseases by each year were calculated.

The average monthly temperatures were compared during the study period. Results : There were 14,990 foodborne climate-related diseases among the total number (217,506) of notifiable diseases during the 9-year period with an average proportional incidence rate of foodborne climate-related diseases (PIRFCD) equal to 6.9 %.

When the months were grouped into seasons, the PIRFCD was 10.7 %, 7.8 %, 5.3 % and 4.5 % in the summer, autumn, winter and spring seasons, respectively for all the period.

The temperature had a peak in the summer season which overlapped with the PIRFCD.

The incidence rates per 100,000 for the foodborne diseases show a steep rise in 2002 (18.7 / 100,000) and a steady decline since 2005 to reach 7.2 / 100,000 in 2008. Conclusion : Little change has been observed in the incidence of foodborne climate-related diseases in Bahrain with highest rates in the summer season.

Health authorities should take proactive measures to address this emerging challenge.