OCEAN ROLE IN

HUMAN HEALTH
Compiled by
Dr. dr. Gustaaf A E Ratag, MPH
For medical student
• Major linkages between the OCEANS n PUBLIC
HEALTH - focusing on exposures n potential
health effects due to anthropogenic n natural
factors ( harmful algal blooms,microbes, n
chemical pollutants in the oceans;
consumption of seafood; flooding events )
• Public health effects n their economic
consequences
• Priorities for future research
• Connections between Ocean, human health n human
activities  result in positive n negative exposures
and health effects ( risks and benefits ) and the
study of these connections comprises a new
interdiciplinary area called OCEAN N HUMAN
HEALTH
RISKS
• Acute health effects caused by toxins
associated with shellfish poisoning and red
tide
• Chronic exposure to many anthropogenic
chemicals, pathogens, naturally occuring
toxins in coastal waters
 harmful algal bloom (HABs)
• HABs = red tides, are exuberant growths of
phytoplankton (diatoms, dinoflagellates, n
cyanobacteria) in aquatic environment; these
considered harmful when create public health
risks or negatively affect the local ecology by
producing very potent natural toxins, depleting
oxygen, blocking sunlight from reaching lower
depths of the water
• The primary adverse impacts on human n animals
occur through exposure to the natural HAB-
generated toxins (neuro- hepato-dermatotoxin,
some are carcinogens
 Cont………
• People, birds, fish, marine mammalsare
exposed when : eat contaminated food, drink
contaminated water, contact contaminated
water, and or inhale contaminated aerosols
• These toxins can cause acute n chronic effects
• High exposures can be lethal
• Many species can produce more than one
toxin
• DETECTION OF HABs?? BIOSENSOR
allows real-time monitoring, so have chance
of posting warnings on beach
Warning
Chemical agents n waterborne pathogens

• Other than HABs, other threats associated

with coastal water exposure : pathogens
( bacteria, viruses, parasites) from fecal
contamination of water, anthropogenic
chemicals (persistent organic
pollutants,pharmaceutical active
products, heavy metal such as Mercury)
associated with industrial waste effluents
( cos wastewater mngmt failure)
Cont……
• Also, natural occurring waterborne
chemicals toxicants n pathogens
• Arsenic, vibrios
• Seasonal cholera outbreaks in South
Asiaare originated with plankton blooms
that include vibrio cholerae’s natural host
reservoir copepod
Cont…….
• While some are harmful, others are
potentially useful compounds (marine-
derived pharmaceuticals)
• A naturally occurring, potent antagonist
to the brevetoxins related to Florida red
tides that may useful in treating cystic
fibrosis
Susceptible population n media / pathways

• 62 milion Americans are estimated to

swim in the nation’s coastal waters n they
spend more than 800 million person-days
at the beach annually
• Healthy people may not or may be
exposed to a self limiting symptoms
• people with underlying diseases, genetic
susceptibilities, may react differently to
equivalent exposures
Cont….
• the response to a given environmental exposure may
depend on an individual’s genetic make up,
physiologic characteristics, personal life style, as
well as the route of exposure, the dose, and the
specific outcome
• Young children are susceptible population because
their size or behavior (hand to mouth )may result in
a relatively greater dose for a given exposure
• Fetus, are more; cos their physiologic system r
developing rapidly, exquisitely sensitive to
disruptions induced by environmental contaminants
• HIV/AIDS people, or under chemotherapy/Cancer
treatment
Health effects and route of exposure
• Eating seafood contamin ated with toxins
elaborated by dinoflagellates and diatoms :
paralytic shellfish poisoning, neurotoxic
shellfish poisoning, diarrheic shellfish
poisoning, amnesiac shellfish poisoning,
ciguatera fish poisoning; cyanobacterial (blue-
green algae) toxins  GI Tract, neurotoxic,
hepatotoxic effects  after skin contact or
consumption of contamnated water; also
genotoxic n tumor-promoting, can induce
kidney damage
Cont……
• Chronic neurologic diseases (ALS,
Parkinson’s, Alzheimer dementia) may be
related to the consumption of a neurotoxic
cyanobacterial toxin (beta-N-methylamino-L-
alanine or BMAA )
• Recent study, has described increase
respiratory symptoms and pulmonary effects
from exposure to aerosolized brevetoxins
associated with Florida red tides from the
dinoflagellate Karenia brevis
RISK MNGMNT DESIGN
• the design must take into account the
complexities of human response to
warnings and other guidance, economic
trade offs among different risks and
benefits
• Future research
BENEFITS
. Nutritional benefits
• Important source of protein, essential
fatty acids, micronutrients ( vit D, Fe,
zinc, selenium, iodine, etc)
• Compare to other source of protein
(meats, poultry,dairy milk) seafood
contain lower calories and saturated fat
Cont….
• Seafood is an important source of
essential polyunsaturated fatty acids
(omega-3 PUFAs), docosahexagonic
acid /DHA, eicosa pentaenoic acid/EPA
• Those are benefits for cardiovascular-
nervous system, development, immune
system
Pharmaceutical benefit
Cont….
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Cont……
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Recreation
Special Health Planning
• Identify potential risks and benefits
• Identify potential population (human and
animal)
• Identify resources owned by public health
institutions and hospitals nearby (well-
trained –MDs n nurses, medical
equipment, laboratory, ambulance)
• Local gov’t responsibility and priorities
 Special PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS

• SPECIAL HEALTH PROMOTION ON PUBLIC

HEALTH RISKS IN THE MARINE
ENVIRONMENT
• SEEK GOV’T SUPPORT (EXECUTIVE N
LEGISLATIVE )
• MEDICAL PERSONEEL TRAINING
• TRAINING FOR NURSES
• MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AVAILABILITY
• TRANSPORTATION
• SCHEDULED VISITATION ON RECREATION
CENTRES