The Persistent Relevance of Infectious Disease: An Introduction
Closing the Book on Infectious Disease If you lived in the United States in 1900, life was pretty rough. Back then, the average lifespan was 47 and the leading causes of death were influenza, tuberculosis, and gastrointestinal disorders . What happened? Well, we figured out our public health. Physicians started washing their hands. A scientist got mold on his bread, and then BAM, we had penicillin. Vaccines were developed and the populace was immunized. Death by infection plummeted down the lists to be outpaced by chronic disorders like cancer and heart disease. As medicine became more powerful, so too did human ambition to curb the old threats of the past. Aspirations were high. Polio vaccines saved lives. The World Health Organization began to put together campaigns to exterminate Malaria-carrying mosquitos as well as smallpox. As a testament to the times, the U.S. Surgeon General at the time said: "It’s time to close the books on infectious diseases, declare the war...