progress in the prevention, control and even eradication of infectious diseases • Improved hygiene and development of antimicrobials and vaccines.
• The theme of the World Health Day-1997
"Emerging Infectious Diseases - Global Alert: Global Response Historical Perspectives
• The BLACK DEATH (1348-50): The
most devastating pandemics in human history
• Plague had eliminated as much as a
third of the European population!!! • 1520-21: Smallpox microbes carried by explorers were responsible for 10-15 million deaths in effectively ending Aztec civilization.
• > Other Amerindian and Pacific
civilizations were destroyed by imported small pox and measles. Historical perspectives
• ▸ The eradication of smallpox
• ▸ Improved sanitation, clean water and
better living conditions along with vaccines and antimicrobial agents changed the world Definition
• EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(EID's): • ▸ Diseases of infectious origin whose incidence in humans has increased within the recent past or threatens to increase in the near future. • Infectious diseases whose incidence in humans has increased in the past 2 decades or threatens to increase in the near future have been defined as "Emerging Diseases" • The term also refers to newly- appearing infectious diseases, or diseases that are spreading to new geographical areas. (Ex: Cholera in South America and yellow fever in Kenya.) • Definition • RE-EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES (RID's): • ▸ Infectious agents that have been known for some time, had fallen to such low levels that they were no longer considered public health problems & are now showing upward trends in incidence or prevalence worldwide • Old disease - New problem •New diseases emerge •And old diseases Re-emerge Driving forces to emerge Epidemiological Triad of Diseases Factors Contributing To Emergence
• THE AGENT "What"
• -The agent is the cause of the disease • • Evolution of pathogenic infectious agents • (microbial adaptation & change) • • Mutations • Development of resistance to digs • Resistance of vectors to pesticides Host "Who" • Hosts are organisms, usually human or timals. which are exposed to and harbour a dear The host can be the organism thai gets sick, as well as any animal camed (including insects and worms) that may or may not get sick. • Human demographic change (inhabiting newareas)- increase contact with animals and natural environment
• Human behaviour (sexual & drug
use-sharing needles, drug abuse. body piercing) • Human susceptibility to infection (Immunosuppression)- stress and lifestyle changes
• Nutritional changes, more useof pesticides
• Poverty & social inequality
• Wars, civil unrest
• food and housing shortages, increased density of