Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Remote Laboratory Management: Respiratory Virus Diagnostics
14:56

Remote Laboratory Management: Respiratory Virus Diagnostics

Published on: April 6, 2019

New and re-emerging infectious diseases: epidemics in waiting

Renaat Aam Peleman1

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. renaat.peleman@ugent.be

Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology
|October 6, 2006
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Emerging infectious diseases pose significant global health challenges due to rapid spread and resistance. Timely identification, global perspective, and physician involvement are crucial for adaptation.

Area of Science:

  • Global Health
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Emerging infectious diseases present significant challenges to human health.
  • Increasing resistance of pathogens to antibiotics and insects to insecticides exacerbates these threats.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the challenges posed by new and emerging diseases.
  • To discuss the global implications of rapidly spreading infectious agents.
  • To emphasize the need for adaptive strategies in public health.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent disease outbreaks and trends.
  • Analysis of factors contributing to the global spread of diseases.
  • Assessment of current public health response mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Recent emergence of diseases including West Nile virus, monkeypox, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and avian influenza.
  • Demonstration of rapid international spread of novel pathogens.
  • Identification of antimicrobial and insecticidal resistance as compounding factors.

Conclusions:

  • Emerging infectious diseases are an immediate global concern due to rapid travel and trade.
  • Effective response requires timely identification, global health perspectives, and integration of practicing physicians.

More Related Videos

Early Viral Entry Assays for the Identification and Evaluation of Antiviral Compounds09:29

Early Viral Entry Assays for the Identification and Evaluation of Antiviral Compounds

Published on: October 29, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence01:28

Infectious Diseases and Their Occurrence

Infectious diseases appear in populations through various transmission patterns, influenced by pathogen characteristics, population immunity, environmental conditions, and social behavior. Understanding these patterns is essential for effective public health surveillance and intervention. These categories—sporadic, outbreak, epidemic, pandemic, and endemic—help frame the nature and scope of disease events.Sporadic diseases occur irregularly and infrequently, without a predictable temporal or...
Investigation of Disease Outbreaks01:23

Investigation of Disease Outbreaks

Multistate foodborne outbreaks pose significant public health risks and require meticulous investigation to identify sources and implement control measures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) utilizes a dynamic seven-step process for these investigations, integrating data from laboratories, interviews, and environmental assessments to protect public health.Outbreak Detection: The detection of multistate outbreaks typically begins with PulseNet, the CDC's national laboratory...
Reservoir of Infection01:30

Reservoir of Infection

Infectious diseases arise from intricate interactions between pathogens and their reservoirs. A reservoir of infection refers to the natural habitat where a pathogen lives, grows, and multiplies, serving as a continual source of infection. Reservoirs are broadly classified as either living or nonliving, and each plays a unique role in disease transmission, significantly influencing public health interventions and control strategies.Humans act as reservoirs for a wide array of pathogens,...
Steps in Outbreak Investigation01:18

Steps in Outbreak Investigation

In the ever-evolving field of public health, statistical analysis serves as a cornerstone for understanding and managing disease outbreaks. By leveraging various statistical tools, health professionals can predict potential outbreaks, analyze ongoing situations, and devise effective responses to mitigate impact. For that to happen, there are a few possible stages of the analysis:
Infection01:20

Infection

When a pathogen enters the body and reproduces, it can cause an infection, damage body cells, and cause illness symptoms that eventually lead to disease. Therefore, its prevention requires breaking the chain of infection.
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
Viral Recombination00:57

Viral Recombination

Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.