London – It has been mistakenly assumed that ancient diseases are totally eradicated, especially in developed countries. The United Kingdom particularly is now facing a “Victorian” disease epidemic, as cases of tuberculosis, scurvy, cholera, whooping cough, and scarlet fever are rising alarmingly. Experts believe the main causes could be immigration, malnutrition, poverty and lack of access to health care.
Dr. Nuria Martinez-Alier, an immunologist based in London, said that there has been a dramatic spike in scarlet fever, with 14,000 cases last year, the highest since the 1960s. According to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), scarlet fever cases have increased 136%; cases of cholera have spiked 300% over the past five years; and, scurvy rates are up 38%. As for tuberculosis, diagnoses have decreased but rates are still disproportionately high, especially in some British neighborhoods where TB rates are even higher than in Guatemala, Iraq, Rwanda and other developing countries. Surprisingly, TB caused more global deaths this year than HIV and AIDS.
Even though TB cases have been steadily decreasing also in the United States, on Tuesday, the White House published information about a new 5-year program to fight multidrug-resistant tuberculosis worldwide, after the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed the latest statistics on TB diagnosis and deaths. Named as the National Action Plan, the program involves efforts of governments of all affected nations, including partners from the private sector, as well as bilateral and multilateral partners.
Margaret Chan, Director-General of the WHO, commented that despite the fact that advances in TB control have helped save many lives around the world, leaders must encourage improvement in health care services and “critically invest in research” in order to definitely end the epidemic.
Malnutrition: A leading cause of severe diseases
British experts highlight the recent spike in malnutrition. It figures as the primary or secondary cause of admissions to the hospital, as the number of patients admitted with malnutrition has doubled in three years. Dianne Jeffrey, head of the Malnutrition Task Force, told earlier this year that professionals and the elderly mistakenly assume that it is normal to lose weight and have a reduced appetite as a consequence of aging.
“Much malnutrition is preventable, so it is totally unacceptable that estimates suggest there are at least one million older people malnourished or at risk of malnourishment,” expressed Jeffrey. “Cuts to social care mean many older people are being left to cope on their own.”
Raise awareness: Infectious diseases are not eradicated
Martinez-Alier warned that low vaccination rates significantly contribute to the problem. Of course, if people in this modern world believe that infectious diseases are a matter of history, no one will think of the importance of getting a vaccine against them. Most of the illnesses resurging today can be cured with medication. TB, for instance, can spread quickly and cause death if left untreated. In 2013, an estimated of 9 million cases of TB were reported worldwide, killing around 1.5 million people.
“I think there is a general sense in this country, at least for me — which is incorrect — that infectious diseases are completely eradicated, or that we found some way to get rid of them and that they are ‘Victorian’ illnesses,” said Josie Garrett, a London resident who is currently taking medication for TB. He added that people need to be aware of the fact that those diseases remain a threat.
Source: Modern Readers
I am not kidding. Blame the infux of immigrants for the rise of Dease
Population density stress results in over-activation of the stress response, thus increasing blood Cortisol levels, which suppresses the immune system and makes people (mammals) vulnerable to infectious diseases, among other potentially fatal miseries. Actually, it’s Malthus’ “misery and vice” and nature’s way of trimming an overly abundant population, before it exhausts its vital resources. Modern medical technology and public health initiatives have counteracted this mechanism so far, but….
Here’s a crazy idea: Let’s screen immigrants for diseases and vaccinate them before letting them enter the country. Can’t pay? Stay out.
Immigrants aren’t the only causes of these diseases. How about vaccinating the entire British population? BTW of these diseases aren’t spread around by individuals. Scurvy, for instance. It can be contained by diet. I’d start with screening and vaccination for the elderly and children first. They bare the brunt of diseases that kill.
False logic: the ONLY cause of these diseases. Poster did not say the ONLY cause was immigrants. Typical Liberal Illogic:put words in mouth of your opponent, then belittle him/her.
I’m not a liberal, so it’s safe to say I’m not using “Typical Liberal illogic” just because I suggest all Britons be screened and vaccinated for all of our safety. In fact, Ang Nihtgenga didn’t include his/her idea that anyone but immigrants be vaccinated. I don’t pretend to be a mindreader like you seem to be about my politics. What a way to spend Christmas time-disparaging others and attacking them with insults Merry Christmas and hoping you and your family all the best in 2016.
Not that you do – but don’t take these cats personally. I’ve found time and time again that people who don’t agree with a fairly sane solution such as yours or even in some cases, logic, begin throwing the Liberal label around like it’s supposed to be some damage. You almost have to feel sorry for them since they clearly don’t have the cognitive skills to be rational.
I’m fiercely independent. I try to avoid throwing around insults because I believe in such a wide variety of political and social views. I’m used to being the object of derision from both left and right. The funny thing is that people assume persons with differing political views should be attacked. Many people go out of their way to be what they believe to be crude labels that will hurt others. I guess it’s the times we live in. Ironically, I believe my post had no political content in it at all. It seems sensible to me that everyone needs to be protected, and the only way to do it is to ensure health (as much as is possible) is taking pro-active steps. Communicable disease isn’t confined to any single race, religion or nationality.
Dennis:
If it is like what is happening in the US, the problem can be partially related to herd protection. If 90% of the herd is vaccinated, the 10% is very unlikely to get the normal communicative diseases as those around them can’t get or carry them for the most part.
When you add in several other factors, such as air travel where an infected person can leave one area and drop into a new group of people in less than a day, diseases start to pop up. Then add in when those travelers aren’t vaccinated for a whole swath of reasons from religion to medical care not available, the damage can become worse in a hurry,
Like you said, diseases like scurvy are due to diet but others are for the most part self-inflicted by not becoming vaccinated. The rate at which these “immigrants” are moving into Europe, this will only get worse before it gets better and the health care system could easily overload because of the unplanned for drug use increases, budget shortfalls due to costs associated with basic healthcare.
We had this happen last year in California and several other states where measles and other diseases just popped up in unrelated and unassociated places. We will get it again because we are seeing an increase in Central American illegals flooding our way and are now seeing evidence of Middle Eastern folks coming over the border now too.
If illegal immigrants are responsible for an influx of disease-and I agree it is a factor-than legal immigrants and those who come for a holiday are also likely to be partially responsible. But if we only blame immigration we are mistaken in assuming native populations do not spread it among themselves as well. The only way to prevent large-scale spread of communicable disease is to assure everyone is vaccinated if possible. As for herd protection; what you say is true…but so is the inverse. If half the population is vaccinated the other half risks spreading disease among themselves.
When I was a child ALL school age children were vaccinated against polio and smallpox. It was mandatory. I might add that there were no costs involved and the system was not overwhelmed by the process because it was local school districts and “school nurses” who provided the nuts and bolts of the operation. Within a generation both polio and smallpox were eradicated. We still hear of people contracting those diseases, but cases are few and far between, and usually contained quickly.
As to the re-emergence of measles-it *has* been mysterious and probably caused by worldwide patterns of immigration, both legal and illegal. It’s time to re-start vaccinating children against that disease too. It too should be mandatory for school-aged children in public schools. It’s not 100% effective, but it’s better than allowing anyone in the US, illegal or legal from spreading disease.
Thank you, Miruk1. There is not a unique cause of these diseases. Multiple factors contribute to the spread of infections.