Emerging and re-emerging diseases

Question 1

Why do patterns and prevalence of diseases constantly change?

Answer 1

-host population changes (eg. susceptibility)
-pathogen changing (eg. virulence, resistance)
-environment changing

Question 2

What factors are responsible for the (re-)emergence of pathogens?

Answer 2

-globalisation and climate change (urbanisation, travel, etc)
-food handling and growth methods changing
-natural disasters and public health breakdowns (unclean water, vaccine programme failures)
-pathogens changing (antibiotic resistance, viral mutations, new toxin genes being acquired)