Understanding infectious diseases

"Epidemiologists, often called 'disease detectives,' have the benefit of advanced technologies to help them track infections. Scientists are able to uncover and understand the causes of disease, thereby saving untold millions of lives. [This book explores the topic of epidemiology]"--Provided by publisher.

Infectious diseases are one of the leading causes of death around the world. According to the WHO, three of the top 10 causes of death worldwide in 2019 were infectious diseases These diseases are caused by microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Some infectious diseases spread by person-to-person contact, while others spread through contaminated food or water or by contact with an infectious insect or animal. Public health systems protect people and communities by preventing disease, encouraging and distributing vaccines, and promoting healthy living.

Infectious diseases such as COVID, plague, influenza, tuberculosis, smallpox, and HIV have wiped out tens of millions of people around the globe. In addition, they have left millions more suffering from chronic health problems or permanent disabilities. Overall, most experts agree that infectious diseases will continue to be a major health threat in the future. This is because existing diseases are extremely difficult to get rid of, and also because new diseases continually emerge.

From the late 1800s till the present, vaccines, which stimulate the human body to become immune to various diseases, have saved hundreds of millions of lives worldwide. The Science of Vaccines tells how traditional vaccines work, explores the newest, cutting-edge vaccines, and explains how the government and pharmaceutical companies ensure that these wonder drugs are safe to use.

"WHO reports that infectious diseases typically kill more than 17 million people a year around the globe. That number recently increased with the emergence of the first global pandemic in more than a century, the COVID-19 outbreak, which had killed more than 2.8 million people by April 2021. The number of infectious diseases is on the rise. Thirty new diseases have emerged in the last twenty years, including SARS and MERS. For many of these new diseases, there is no treatment, cure, or vaccine. As a result, the diseases are able to spread widely. In addition, modern transportation, especially air travel, has made it nearly impossible to contain a fast-spreading disease to one country or area. Scientists predict that by 2050, infectious diseases will be the number one killer in the world, surpassing heart disease [This book explores the topic of infectious diseases]"--Provided by publisher.