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| Avian influenza is a new disease causing global alarm (Photo: BBC) |
Most of these diseases are infectious, such as avian flu and HIV/AIDS; and they originate from animals.
“The concentration of these pathogenic genes has been occurring for centuries, and humanity has had to contend with diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, and measles,” said Professor Mark Woodhouse, an epidemiology expert at the University of Edinburgh, UK. “However, the frequency of these outbreaks seems to be increasing.”
Professor Woodhouse has cataloged over 1,400 different diseases affecting humans, and each year scientists discover one or two new types.
Many of these types may have existed for a long time and have only recently been identified.
Some other newly emerging types may be completely new, such as HIV, the virus that causes SARS, or the agent responsible for mad cow disease.
Environmental Changes
Another significant point raised by researchers is how humans interact with animals in their environment.
Changes in land use, such as deforestation, may give rise to new disease outbreaks; as well as changes in agriculture and livestock management.
Other important factors include global mobility, trade conditions, and the transportation of patients from various locations.
Now, healthcare professionals need to put in more effort to control the spread of these new diseases.
Professor Woodhouse told the BBC that he wants to challenge statements made by the U.S. Department of Health, asserting that they “have conquered diseases.”
“Diseases are evolving to counteract human containment measures. We need to act quickly to maintain the status quo.”
Mr. Woodhouse also added that there is a need to strengthen disease monitoring, which has been rated as quite weak in many places around the globe.
