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Published on: October 29, 2015
Determinants of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases
E Nicastri1, E Girardi, G Ippolito
1Epidemiology Department, National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Abstract:
In the 1960s and 1970s, many public health experts assumed that infectious diseases could at long last be conquered as had occurred with smallpox. In the last two decades, reports warned that infectious diseases were clearly not a problem of the past. They could not be considered as a unique or isolated event of wild and faraway regions, but penetrated every corner of the globe. Emerging infectious diseases have been recently described as clinically distinct conditions whose incidence in humans has increased regionally or worldwide within the past two decades. Emergence may be due to the introduction of new agents to or the recognition of an existing disease that has gone undetected, and re-emergence may describe the re-appearance of known diseases after a decline in incidence. In this article a global, multidisciplinary and integrated approach in different fields of demography, epidemiology, economy, ecology, anthropology and environment at science has been considered to describe the different determinants responsible for the emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases.
Insights
Infectious diseases are a global threat, not a past problem. This study examines the multifaceted determinants driving the emergence and re-emergence of these diseases worldwide.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Ecology
Background:
- Historically, infectious diseases were thought to be conquered.
- Recent decades show a resurgence, impacting global health.
- Emerging infectious diseases are defined by increased human incidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the determinants of infectious disease emergence and re-emergence.
- To adopt a multidisciplinary approach to understand this global health challenge.
Main Methods:
- A global, multidisciplinary approach was employed.
- Integration of data from demography, epidemiology, economy, ecology, anthropology, and environmental science.
- Analysis of factors contributing to disease emergence and re-emergence.
Main Results:
- Infectious diseases have re-emerged as a significant global threat.
- Multiple factors contribute to the spread and re-emergence of diseases.
- The study highlights the interconnectedness of various scientific fields in understanding infectious diseases.
Conclusions:
- Infectious diseases require continuous monitoring and a comprehensive understanding.
- A multidisciplinary approach is crucial for addressing the complex determinants of infectious disease emergence and re-emergence.
- Global collaboration is essential for public health preparedness and response.
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