Measuring the global impact of climate change on human health at a local sentinel site

Climate change is an existential threat, but we have little data describing its direct impact on human health.

Coastal populations in Bangladesh affected by rising sea levels and elevated temperatures experience heightened levels of enteric disease, miscarriage, and preterm birth linked to salt contamination of drinking water.

The gut microbiome functions in nutrition, metabolism, immunomodulation, maintenance of gut barrier function and protection against enteric pathogens.

We hypothesise that changes in the gut microbiome have a role in the health impacts observed in these coastal populations.

We will use whole genome sequencing and metagenomic analyses of human stool and environmental samples from sites along a gradient from high to low drinking water Na+ concentrations to investigate whether disease phenotypes owe to increased exposure to enteric bacterial pathogens from environmental sources, or changes in the gut microbiome that increase pathogen colonisation.

By establishing a Climate and Health Hub in Chakaria, we will develop laboratory capacity and an open data environment supported by a suite of bespoke analytical tools systems to generate and interrogate large longitudinal genomic datasets alongside climate, epidemiological, and demographic data.

This work will identify opportunities to develop microbiome-informed approaches to mitigate health impacts in populations affected by changing climate.