A new report from the World Health Organization is sounding the alarm on the serious threat the world faces from rapidly spreading infectious disease. New disease are emerging--such as AIDS, Ebola and SARS--and the prevalence of air travel means that localized diseases can be easily transported around the globe within hours. In addition, infectious diseases are becoming more difficult to treat and drug resistance in particular poses a serious threat to world health. "Since 1967, at least 39 new pathogens have been identified, including HIV, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, Marburg fever and SARS. Other centuries-old threats, such as pandemic influenza, malaria and tuberculosis, continue to pose a threat to health through a combination of mutation, rising resistance to antimicrobial medicines and weak health systems," warns the WHO.
- see the WHO report
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