[International health organizations facing the emergence of new infectious diseases]

Throughout history, international health collaboration gradually came into being to counteract the emergence of new diseases. This process went through five stages.: 1) Quarantine regulations were established for maritime commerce to safeguard public health. 2) Scientific data were studied to understand the causes of infectious diseases and their modes of transmission; a single solution to the problem was not sufficient because of the diversities of the various factors triggering these diseases. Furthermore, defensive and protective measures adopted in Europe were inadequate after the colonial expansion of European countries. 3) If 19th century international health politics were defensive, the aim in the 20th century was to fight infectious diseases and to eradicate them. This third phase saw the rise of international institutions. These agencies aimed at favouring better health organization in individual countries. 4) The World Health Organization was founded, the aim being to fight existing epidemics, little importance being given to 'emerging diseases'. 5) A series of new infectious diseases and the reemergence of old diseases (a consequence of major ecological changes) that were thought to be eradicated revealed the need for continuous surveillance.