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. 2017 Sep-Oct;62(5):459-467.
doi: 10.4103/ijd.IJD_379_17.

Emerging Infectious Diseases: Epidemiological Perspective

Shuvankar Mukherjee  1
Affiliations

Emerging Infectious Diseases: Epidemiological Perspective

Shuvankar Mukherjee. Indian J Dermatol. 2017 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

Over the past 30 years, at least 30 new infectious diseases have emerged to threaten the health of millions of people across the globe. The major challenge to combat these infections is that for many of them, there is no specific treatment or cure or vaccine. There is limited scope of preventing or controlling them. The contributory factors include urbanization and destruction of natural habitats, climate change and changing ecosystems, changes in population of reservoir hosts or intermediate insect vectors and microbial genetic mutation, international trade and commerce, change in human demographics and behavior, lack of public health services and infrastructure, and antibiotic resistance. It is clear by now that the problem of emerging infectious disease (EID) is not restricted to any single country, and a strong and sustainable international collaboration will be needed in their prevention and control. India along with other countries in the South-East Asian region will continue to bear the brunt of the burden of EIDs in years to come.

Keywords: Emerging infectious diseases; IDSP; International Health Regulations.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest. What is new? Incidence of numerous EIDs show a rising trend. Many new viral agents are adding to the pool of infections. Newer surveillance strategies and global diseases detection programme and international cooperation form the cornerstone in prevention and control of this menace.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Global examples of emerging, re-emerging and deliberately emerging (linked to bioterrorism) disease (Adapted from Ref 13)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of cholera cases and outbreaks in India, 1997–2006 (Adapted from Ref 34)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Acute encephalitis syndrome and Japanese Encephalitis cases with deaths in India from 1996 to 2014 (Adapted from Ref 64)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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