Emerging infectious diseases in Africa in the 21st century

Area of Science:

• * Infectious disease epidemiology and microbiology.
• * Public health and tropical medicine.

Background:

• * Africa faces a growing burden of infectious diseases in the 21st century.
• * These include diseases caused by newly discovered microorganisms (e.g., *Rickettsia felis*, *Tropheryma whipplei*).
• * Known diseases like plague and cholera are re-emerging, alongside novel outbreaks of viruses such as Ebola, Zika, and Chikungunya.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To highlight the urgent need for research into emerging infectious diseases in Africa.
• * To underscore the diverse nature of these threats, encompassing novel pathogens and re-emerging historical diseases.

Main Methods:

• * Review of recent infectious disease emergence and re-emergence patterns in Africa.
• * Identification of specific pathogens and disease agents involved.
• * Analysis of outbreak characteristics and global impact.

Main Results:

• * Significant increase in both novel and re-emerging infectious diseases across Africa.
• * Involvement of a wide spectrum of microorganisms, from bacteria to viruses.
• * Global health implications demonstrated by large-scale outbreaks (Ebola, Zika, Chikungunya).

Conclusions:

• * Emerging infectious diseases represent a critical and growing challenge in Africa.
• * Research into these diseases must be prioritized to mitigate future outbreaks and impacts.
• * A comprehensive approach is needed to address both newly identified and re-emerging pathogens.