Why viral (SARS, Ebola and AIDS) epidemics now?

Yehuda Shoenfeld*, Joshua Shemer

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalShort surveypeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

In the last three decades we have seen several viral (and bacterial;i.e TB) epidemics which took place at an era where we would have expected the eradication of many infectious diseases. There are many hypotheses to explain this paradox; 1) Is it the hygiene theory, namely extensive use of wide spread and too potent antibiotics which eliminate protective infecting agent? And hence the beneficial effect of probiotics? Is it the widespread use of vaccine? is it a mistake or a terror acts of leakage of viral mutant from research or other laboratories? Be it as it may, the globalization and the employment of long distance flights make the spread easy to extreme points in the globe (Shanghai-Toronto). The new epidemiology? Immunology fields will have to deal with these novel aspects to combat and to prevent more events.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)324-325+400
JournalHarefuah
Volume142
Issue number5
StatePublished - 1 May 2003

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