Microbial threats to health : emergence, detection, and response / Mark S. Smolinski, Margaret A. Hamburg, and Joshua Lederberg, editors ; Committee on Emerging Microbial Threats to Health in the 21st Century, Board on Global Health, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Smolinski, Mark S.

Hamburg, Margaret A.

Lederberg, Joshua.

Institute of Medicine (U.S.). Committee on Emerging Microbial Threats to Health in the 21st Century.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Communicable diseases--United States.

Communicable diseases.

Public health--United States.

Public health.

United States.

Communicable Diseases, Emerging--epidemiology.

Communicable Diseases, Emerging--prevention & control.

Communicable Disease Control.

Medical Subjects:

Communicable Diseases, Emerging--epidemiology.

Communicable Diseases, Emerging--prevention & control.

Communicable Disease Control.

Physical Description:

xxviii, 367 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academies Press, [2003]

Summary:

Infectious diseases are a global hazard that puts every nation and every person at risk. The recent SARS outbreak is a prime example. Knowing neither geographic nor political borders, often arriving silently and lethally, microbial pathogens constitute a grave threat to the health of humans. Indeed, a majority of countries recently identified the spread of infectious disease as the greatest global problem they confront. Throughout history, humans have struggled to control both the causes and consequences of infectious diseases and we will continue to do so into the foreseeable future. Following up on a high-profile 1992 report from the Institute of Medicine, Microbial Threats to Health examines the current state of knowledge and policy pertaining to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases from around the globe. It examines the spectrum of microbial threats, factors in disease emergence, and the ultimate capacity of the United States to meet the challenges posed by microbial threats to human health. From the impact of war or technology on disease emergence to the development of enhanced disease surveillance and vaccine strategies, Microbial Threats to Health contains valuable information for researchers, students, health care providers, policymakers, public health officials, and the interested public.

Contents:

2 Spectrum of Microbial Threats 23

The Global Burden of AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria 25

Emerging Infectious Diseases 32

Antimicrobial-Resistant Infections 32

Chronic Diseases with Infectious Etiology 41

Microbes Intentionally Used for Harm 46

3 Factors in Emergence 53

Microbial Adaptation and Change 53

Human Susceptibility to Infection 60

Climate and Weather 64

Changing Ecosystems 67

Economic Development and Land Use 75

Human Demographics and Behavior 78

Technology and Industry 88

International Travel and Commerce 97

Breakdown of Public Health Measures 107

Poverty and Social Inequality 121

War and Famine 125

Lack of Political Will 127

Intent to Harm 130

A Case in Point: Influenza

We Are Unprepared 136

4 Addressing the Threats: Conclusions and Recommendations 149

Enhancing Global Response Capacity 149

Improving Global Infectious Disease Surveillance 154

Rebuilding Domestic Public Health Capacity 159

Improving Domestic Surveillance Through Better Disease Reporting 163

Exploring Innovative Systems of Surveillance 170

Developing and Using Diagnostics 174

Educating and Training the Microbial Threat Workforce 181

Vaccine Development and Production 184

Need for New Antimicrobial Drugs 190

Inappropriate Use of Antimicrobials 204

Vector-borne and Zoonotic Disease Control 209

Comprehensive Infectious Disease Research Agenda 220

Interdisciplinary Infectious Disease Centers 222

B Syndromic Surveillance 281

C Pathogen Discovery, Detection, and Diagnostics 313

D Forum on Emerging Infections Membership and Publications, Board on Global Health 331

E Computational Modeling and Simulation of Epidemic Infectious Diseases 335

F Committee and Staff Biographies 343.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

030908864X

0309507308

OCLC:

52091970