Infectious human diseases: Regions, habitats, threats, and mitigation strategies: The actors—Part I

Abstract

Infectious diseases are a significant burden on the global economy and public health. The major factors attributed to the rise in infectious diseases are thought to be the unstructured rise in the human population with expanding poverty, unplanned urbanization, fast urban migration, unplanned human habitats in thickly populated urban pockets that are the residence of poor people, insufficient healthcare infrastructure, inadequate vaccination, and neglect in effectively containing the zoonotic diseases, among others. Certain global regions such as China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Indonesia among the other Asian countries, sections of South America, and vast parts of Sub-Saharan Africa harbor more infectious human diseases. To contain the infectious disease burden, the health infrastructure especially in poor countries needs to be improved. With the assistance of rich countries monetarily as well as technologically, the situation can be improved. International institutions and large philanthropic organizations are working to improve human health globally. More monetary assistance to these organizations would positively contribute to the cause and would go a long way in diffusing the infectious agents.

Keywords

• anthropogenic factors
• dense population
• etiologic agents for infectious diseases
• healthcare infrastructure
• infectious human diseases
• vaccines
• zoonotic diseases