Researchers have uncovered a new disease in seabirds called "plasticosis"

Researchers have uncovered a new disease in seabirds called "plasticosis," caused by the ingestion of small pieces of plastic. These particles trigger inflammation in the digestive tract, affecting young seabirds that consume plastic while fishing at sea to feed their chicks. This pollution has become a serious problem, affecting even the most remote areas of the globe. Plastic waste inevitably finds its way into the Earth's oceans and seas, polluting vast areas and harming marine fauna and flora, including the development of diseases in some animals. Scientists from the UK and Australia made this discovery.

Plasticosis is the first recorded case of fibrosis specifically induced by plastic in wild animals, affecting young seabirds who ingest small pieces of plastic. The inflammation caused by plastic in their digestive tracts results in the deformation of tissues over time, making the birds more vulnerable to infections, parasites, and difficulties in digesting food and growing correctly, affecting their ability to survive. The disease has been observed in pale-footed puffins on Lord Howe Island, Australia. Researchers noted that birds that consumed more plastic had more scarring in their proventriculus - the first part of a bird's stomach.

Although these birds may appear healthy on the outside, they are not well on the inside. Plastic is the only material that can cause this type of infection. While plasticosis has only been identified in one species of bird, scientists believe that due to the scale of plastic pollution, the disease could be much more widespread. According to estimates, nearly 30 million tonnes of plastic waste are present in the world's oceans, in addition to the 109 million tonnes in rivers that will eventually flow into the seas.

This pollution will continue for decades, and the world is struggling to combat it. A report from the OECD published in 2022 stated that plastic production doubled worldwide over the past 20 years, while nearly 300 kilos of plastic waste are dumped into the oceans every second. Researchers warn that the ingestion of plastic has profound and serious consequences, many of which are still poorly documented and understood.