Communicable Diseases: Achievements and Challenges for Public Health

Abstract

The past two centuries have seen enormous achievements in control of infectious diseases, previously the leading cause of death, in large measure due to sanitation and food safety, vaccines, antibiotics and improved nutrition. This has led people to put their faith in the notion that medical science would succeed in overcoming the remaining obstacles. Vaccination has eradicated smallpox, nearly eradicated poliomyelitis and greatly reduced many other highly dangerous infections such as diphtheria, tetanus and measles. New diseases such as HIV and new forms of infl uenza have taken both professional and popular opinion by surprise and have renewed the challenges before the world public health community. Emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of common organisms due to overuse of antibiotics and lack of vaccines for many dangerous microorganisms poses problems to humanity. This stresses the need for new vaccines, effective antibiotics and strengthened environmental control measures. New knowledge of the microbiological origins of cancers such as that of the cervix, stomach and liver have strengthened primary prevention and brought hope that new cures will be found for other chronic diseases of infectious origin. Tragically long delays in adopting "new" and cost effective vaccines cause hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths each year in developing and mid-level developed countries. Gains are being made in control of many tropical diseases, but malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases remain enormous global problems. Research and acquisition of new knowledge, risk communication, application of currently available means and fair distribution will be great challenges to public health in the coming decades.

Influenza seasonality and vaccination timing in tropical and subtropical areas of southern and south-eastern Asia

“…29,39 Nevertheless, the recent pandemic alarm in 2009, plus ongoing outbreaks of emerging influenza strains in other countries, such as A(H5N1) and, most recently, A(H7N9), as well as the number of deaths and complications in some regular influenza seasons, have increased the interest in influenza control in the area. To address the growing need for more affordable and accessible influenza vaccines during a pandemic, WHO has assisted countries in Asia (India, Indonesia, Thailand and Viet Nam) in developing their domestic vaccine production capacity.…”

Nicotine Reduction: Strategic Research Plan

“…Similarly, it is conceivable that in light of current projections of unacceptable rates of tobacco-attributable morbidity and mortality for decades to come, a clinical trial of sufficient size and duration to better understand the risks and benefits of nicotine reduction would be sufficient to support implementation of such a policy. In fact, it is common in public health to address serious problems with approaches that are grounded in science, knowing that some additional evaluation and supporting research may also be needed to evaluate the impact of the policy (Centers for Disease Control andPrevention, 2011, 2012;Schlipkoter & Flahault, 2010;World Health Organization, 2012).…”

Public Knowledge, Perceptions and Practices in Relation to Infectious and other Communicable Diseases in Tanzania: Lessons Learnt from Babati District

“…[12] More concerted measures for a significant reduction if not elimination of infectious and other communicable diseases continue being suggested. [13] As a leading global health department, the World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target of ending some of the seemingly neglected tropical diseases by the year 2020, and apart from malaria, other diseases targeted include HAT, schistosomiasis, LF and Onchocerciasis. [6] Experts have suggested that the burden of disease in general is a function of factors in the social realm and this means there is need to look at the social dimensions of health and disease while planning for particular disease focused interventions.…”