Fighting Infectious Diseases
Fighting Infectious Diseases

Author: Justin Healey

Publisher:

Published: 2017-04-01

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 9781925339383

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Infectious, or communicable, diseases are a major global health concern. Managing and preventing the spread of diseases takes a concerted public health effort to deal with deadly outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics. What are the various ways in which infectious diseases are spread? How much of a threat are emerging infections such as Ebola, SARS and the Zika virus to large populations of people? And how much of a concern is the growth in antimicrobial resistance to drugs, such as antibiotics, which are routinely used to treat infection? The World Health Organization estimates that vaccines prevent 2-3 million deaths every year; how effective has immunisation been in Australia at containing and eradicating vaccine-preventable diseases? What are the myths and facts regarding the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, and why do some misconceptions among immunisation objectors persist? This book reveals the global trends and challenges in the fight against the major types of infectious disease, and looks at vaccine-preventable diseases and immunisation in Australia. Are we doing enough to win the ongoing fight against infectious diseases?

Epidemics and Pandemics
Epidemics and Pandemics

Author: Justin Healey

Publisher:

Published: 2021

Total Pages: 60

ISBN-13: 9781922274267

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The devastating, widespread experience of COVID-19 has captured the world¿s attention this year, however epidemics and pandemics are not a new phenomenon. Throughout history, civilisation has endured a number of major infectious disease outbreaks. The novel coronavirus continues its spread, infecting and killing millions of people ¿ with no vaccine currently in sight. What can we learn from major pandemics of the past like the Black Plague, Spanish flu, Asian flu, Hong Kong flu and swine flu, as well as the ongoing global blight of HIV/AIDs? Infectious diseases, such as seasonal influenza, are more than simply public health issues; they can also have major social impacts, change economies and even alter the course of history. This book explores the health, economic and social challenges presented by the major types of infectious disease, viewed in the context of the continuing fight against the coronavirus. It compares Australia with other developed countries in relation to the effectiveness of their responses to COVID-19 through social distancing, lockdowns and other infection control measures, and also explores how vaccine-preventable disease epidemics are being successfully managed in Australia. How do we learn the lessons of history, overcome the current pandemic, and better prepare for the next deadly mass outbreak?

Disease Control Priorities, Third Edition (Volume 6)
Disease Control Priorities, Third Edition (Volume 6)

Author: King K. Holmes

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2017-11-06

Total Pages: 1027

ISBN-13: 1464805253

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Infectious diseases are the leading cause of death globally, particularly among children and young adults. The spread of new pathogens and the threat of antimicrobial resistance pose particular challenges in combating these diseases. Major Infectious Diseases identifies feasible, cost-effective packages of interventions and strategies across delivery platforms to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, malaria, adult febrile illness, viral hepatitis, and neglected tropical diseases. The volume emphasizes the need to effectively address emerging antimicrobial resistance, strengthen health systems, and increase access to care. The attainable goals are to reduce incidence, develop innovative approaches, and optimize existing tools in resource-constrained settings.

Treating Infectious Diseases in a Microbial World
Treating Infectious Diseases in a Microbial World

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2006-01-03

Total Pages: 102

ISBN-13: 0309180686

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Humans coexist with millions of harmless microorganisms, but emerging diseases, resistance to antibiotics, and the threat of bioterrorism are forcing scientists to look for new ways to confront the microbes that do pose a danger. This report identifies innovative approaches to the development of antimicrobial drugs and vaccines based on a greater understanding of how the human immune system interacts with both good and bad microbes. The report concludes that the development of a single superdrug to fight all infectious agents is unrealistic.

Infectious Diseases and Rural Livelihood in Developing Countries
Infectious Diseases and Rural Livelihood in Developing Countries

Author: Fingani Annie Mphande

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-02-11

Total Pages: 194

ISBN-13: 9811004285

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This book focuses on the effects of rural livelihood and the impact of infectious diseases on health and poverty. It explores cultures and traditions in developing countries and their role in infectious-disease management and prevention. It highlights the associated healthcare systems and how these have contributed to some of the challenges faced, and goes on to elaborate on the significance of community involvement in infectious-disease prevention, management and control. It also emphasizes the importance of surveillance and setting up strategies on infectious-disease management that are favourable for poor communities and developing countries. Infectious Diseases and Rural Livelihood in Developing Countries allows students, researchers, healthcare workers, stakeholders and governments to better understand the vicious cycle of health, poverty and livelihoods in developing countries and to develop strategies that can work better in these regions.

Fighting Campylobacter Infections
Fighting Campylobacter Infections

Author: Steffen Backert

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-02-23

Total Pages: 334

ISBN-13: 3030654818

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This edited volume explores Campylobacter species, which are some of the most important foodborne pathogens. Above all, contaminated poultry meat can cause human gastroenteritis in both developed and developing countries. The respective contributions reveal how these infections can also increase the risk of generalized paralytic diseases such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, Miller-Fisher syndrome, and Chinese paralytic syndrome. Due to their influence on the nervous system, circulatory system, and various organs, Campylobacter infections represent a serious public health concern. Campylobacter can be effectively combated by addressing the hygienic conditions in both food production and human lifestyles. Accordingly, the authors put forward a One Health perspective, which provides readers with essential insights into the basic biology of Campylobacter, as well as practical guidance on aspects ranging from food production to the clinical treatment of infections. Chapters 'Population Biology and Comparative Genomics of Campylobacter Species' and 'Natural Competence and Horizontal Gene Transfer in Campylobacter' are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Outbreaks and Epidemics
Outbreaks and Epidemics

Author: Meera Senthilingam

Publisher: Icon Books

Published: 2020-03-18

Total Pages: 130

ISBN-13: 1785785648

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'A book that couldn't be more timely, providing an accessible introduction to epidemiology.' Kirkus A compelling and disquieting journey through the history and science of epidemics. For centuries mankind has waged war against the infections that, left untreated, would have the power to wipe out communities, or even entire populations. Yet for all our advanced scientific knowledge, only one human disease - smallpox - has ever been eradicated globally. In recent years, outbreaks of Ebola and Zika have provided vivid examples of how difficult it is to contain an infection once it strikes, and the panic that a rapidly spreading epidemic can ignite. But while we chase the diseases we are already aware of, new ones are constantly emerging, like the coronavirus that spread across the world in 2020. At the same time, antimicrobial resistance is harnessing infections that we once knew how to control, enabling them to thrive once more. Meera Senthilingam presents a timely look at humanity's ongoing battle against infection, examining the successes and failures of the past, along with how we are confronting the challenges of today, and our chances of eradicating disease in the future.

The End of Plagues
The End of Plagues

Author: John Rhodes

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Published: 2013-09-24

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 1137381310

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World-renowned immunologist John Rhodes’s The End of Plagues is “an engaging and expansive exploration of humankind’s quest to defend itself against disease” (History Today). At the turn of the twentieth century, smallpox claimed the lives of two million people per year. By 1979, the disease had been eradicated and victory was declared across the globe. Yet the story of smallpox remains the exception, as today a host of deadly contagions, from polio to AIDS, continue to threaten human health around the world. Spanning three centuries, The End of Plagues weaves together the discovery of vaccination, the birth and growth of immunology, and the fight to eradicate the world’s most feared diseases. From Edward Jenner’s discovery of vaccination in 1796, to the early nineteenth-century foundling voyages in which chains of orphans, vaccinated one by one, were sent to colonies around the globe, to the development of polio vaccines and the stockpiling of smallpox as a biological weapon in the Cold War, Rhodes charts our fight against these plagues, and shows how vaccinations gave humanity the upper hand.