5.2 Sustainable Ways of Managing and Treating Infectious Diseases
115
Despite these many risks and challenges, there are numerous solutions for solving
climate-related diseases and their distribution, which will be discussed in detail
under Sect. 5.4 Disease Control and Prevention.
Case Study 5.1: Nipah and Hendra virus
The Nipah and Hendra virus in South Asia and Australia are among examples
of how disruption of an ecosystem could lead to the outbreak of diseases.
The viruses from these diseases originate from flying foxes also called fruit
bats. They eat fruit through mastication of the pulp and spitting out the seeds
and juice. For an extended period, these bats have evolved with the Nipah
and Hendra virus, and due to this co-evolution, they are not significantly
affected (Martin et al. 2018). However, the outbreak of the virus from bats
to species that have not evolved with it can lead to disastrous consequences
as observed in rural Malaysia’s case in 1999. Scientists believe that there is a
probability that a bat dropped chewed fruit into a piggery. The infection of the
pigs amplified and shifted to humans. Its lethality was immense because out
of the 276 individuals infected in the country, about 106 individuals died.
Many others experienced crippling and permanent neurological disorders.
The disease does not have any vaccine or cure. Approximately 12 other
smaller outbreaks occurred since then in South Asia.
Experts contend that it is crucial to understand that any emerging diseases during
the last three or four decades have been due to encroachment into natural habitats
and demographical changes (Martin et al. 2018). Emerging infectious diseases can
be described as new forms of pathogens. They could also be old ones that have
successfully mutated. For instance, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
spread into humans from chimpanzees during the 1920s when hunters of wild game
in Africa butchered infected animals (Reperant and Osterhaus 2017). Diseases often
emanate from nature and wildlife, to find their way into humans, including malaria
and plague.
5.2 Sustainable Ways of Managing and Treating Infectious
Diseases
There is a need to find sustainable solutions for the prevention and management
of infectious diseases, including hepatitis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, and
HIV, which need timely intervention. Through progress that has been made by the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the World Health Organization (WHO)
has come up with a collaborative health approach for accelerating progress and
meeting ambitious international targets for infectious diseases. The new approach
115
Despite these many risks and challenges, there are numerous solutions for solving
climate-related diseases and their distribution, which will be discussed in detail
under Sect. 5.4 Disease Control and Prevention.
Case Study 5.1: Nipah and Hendra virus
The Nipah and Hendra virus in South Asia and Australia are among examples
of how disruption of an ecosystem could lead to the outbreak of diseases.
The viruses from these diseases originate from flying foxes also called fruit
bats. They eat fruit through mastication of the pulp and spitting out the seeds
and juice. For an extended period, these bats have evolved with the Nipah
and Hendra virus, and due to this co-evolution, they are not significantly
affected (Martin et al. 2018). However, the outbreak of the virus from bats
to species that have not evolved with it can lead to disastrous consequences
as observed in rural Malaysia’s case in 1999. Scientists believe that there is a
probability that a bat dropped chewed fruit into a piggery. The infection of the
pigs amplified and shifted to humans. Its lethality was immense because out
of the 276 individuals infected in the country, about 106 individuals died.
Many others experienced crippling and permanent neurological disorders.
The disease does not have any vaccine or cure. Approximately 12 other
smaller outbreaks occurred since then in South Asia.
Experts contend that it is crucial to understand that any emerging diseases during
the last three or four decades have been due to encroachment into natural habitats
and demographical changes (Martin et al. 2018). Emerging infectious diseases can
be described as new forms of pathogens. They could also be old ones that have
successfully mutated. For instance, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
spread into humans from chimpanzees during the 1920s when hunters of wild game
in Africa butchered infected animals (Reperant and Osterhaus 2017). Diseases often
emanate from nature and wildlife, to find their way into humans, including malaria
and plague.
5.2 Sustainable Ways of Managing and Treating Infectious
Diseases
There is a need to find sustainable solutions for the prevention and management
of infectious diseases, including hepatitis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, and
HIV, which need timely intervention. Through progress that has been made by the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the World Health Organization (WHO)
has come up with a collaborative health approach for accelerating progress and
meeting ambitious international targets for infectious diseases. The new approach