Infectious, or communicable, diseases are a major global health concern. Managing and preventing the spread of diseases takes a concerted public health effort to deal with deadly outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics. What are the various ways in which infectious diseases are spread? How much of a threat are emerging infections such as Ebola, SARS and the Zika virus to large populations of people? And how much of a concern is the growth in antimicrobial resistance to drugs, such as antibiotics, which are routinely used to treat infection? The World Health Organization estimates that vaccines prevent 2-3 million deaths every year; how effective has immunisation been in Australia at containing and eradicating vaccine-preventable diseases? What are the myths and facts regarding the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, and why do some misconceptions among immunisation objectors persist? This book reveals the global trends and challenges in the fight against the major types of infectious disease, and looks at vaccine-preventable diseases and immunisation in Australia. Are we doing enough to win the ongoing fight against infectious diseases? |