Emerging diseases are “infections that have newly appeared in a population or have existed but are rapidly increasing in incidence or geographic range”. Human emerging diseases include previously unobserved diseases like SARS, disease agents that have acquired new properties like MDR Mycobacterium tuberculosis and E. coli, and diseases that are increasing in prevalence and range like Lyme disease and West Nile virus. The dangerous outcomes of emerging infectious diseases prove to be more dangerous than ever now due to globalization.
In his presentation, Laegreid included a chart of international travel from 1950 to 2010. Up until 1960, there were less than 100 million international tourist arrivals per year. It has grown exponentially since and in 2010, international tourist arrivals reached 1000 million per year. International travel has such a significant impact with the spread of infectious disease now that there are computer systems that calculate flight paths to predict where certain infectious diseases originated and would show up next. For example, with the SARS epidemic, it was determined that it originated from Hong Kong and then predicted to China, US, Australia, Canada, the UK, and Germany quickest, in under 6 weeks. From there, these systems can use probability to predict where the virus would end up next based on flight paths so that the respective countries can prepare ahead of time for the epidemic.
It has been almost a decade since the SARS epidemic and tourist rates are still on the rise, meaning the chances of new emerging diseases spreading even quicker is very high. Using creative systems like this allows nations to plan ahead and becomes an essential factor in reaching adequate public health measures for an infectious disease outbreak.
Its unfortunate that globalization has caused an increase in emerging infectious diseases. But it’s inevitable that infections and diseases will travel along travel routes. Due to the wide spread of infectious diseases, our health care programs need to do their best to help approach the problem the best way possible.
ReplyDeleteWith the international increase of globalization follows the spread of diseases and illnesses. The constant mutation and adaption of diseases makes it difficult to prevent the spread of such. By more contact with different regions of the world, the infectious disease rate is bound to rise without herd immunization. In order to prevent any new epidemics it is vital people receive immunizations to protect themselves, as well as the community.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the side-effects of globalization. However, it is a small price to pay for the world uniting (theoretically) as one people, and being (theoretically) tolerant of one another's presence. Though, there should be more screenings for those who need to travel, or at least more precautions for those who travel because SARS was a huge wake-up call in how fast a disease could spread throughout the entire world. There should be at least some protocol in place for restricting flights to only non-contagious people.
ReplyDeleteWith the infections have newly appeared in a population or have existed but are rapidly increasing in incidence or geographic range. There are many people who travel around every day. It is something that we do need to concern about the inevitable infection in the travel routes. SARS is a very good example that can spread really quickly in the travel routes. In order to prevent new disease from person to person contact. Prevention strategies is very important, the countries should get a good plan now and ready for something huge that is wide spread of infectious diseases in the future.
ReplyDeleteBetter paying jobs that are more attractive to the educated individual exist in developed countries. This provides a serious problem for developed countries who are desperately lacking trained educated health care physicians. Underdeveloped countries need to take action and need aid in order to make their countries more attractive for trained educated people to stay in their own countries and help their own people.
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