[Catalyst 2019]

AUTION CAUTION CAUTION CAU
CAUTION CAUT
The
Where
What
&Why
I
I had a little
bird,
Its name was Enza,
I opened the
window,
And in-flu-enza. 1
n 1918, children would sing this rhyme
while skipping rope, not knowing it’s
connection to the Spanish Flu, one
of the most deadly pandemics in world
history. 1,2 An epidemic is defined as the
sudden increase in the number of localized
cases of a certain disease, as seen in the
case of the bubonic plague, smallpox,
HIV/AIDS, and most recently with Ebola.
Pandemics, like that of the Spanish Flu, refer
to an epidemic that has spread all over the
world, affecting a large number of people at
a time. 3
In modern day, AIDS and Ebola are some
of the most dangerous and prevalent
epidemics that exist in the world and have
not yet been cured. In order to garner a
better understanding of epidemics and
how they appear and return, it is important
to analyze the impact that epidemics
historically have on society through the way
public health organizations have shifted in
the face of major disease outbreaks such as
Ebola and HIV/AIDS.
Most epidemics arise in the equatorial
region. This is due to the fact that tropical
regions are a hot zone for breeding
pathogens, especially those that are
transmitted through insects. The extreme
weather and heavy rains serve as a breeding
ground for mosquito-borne diseases.
Deforestation and the compounding
effects of climate change can also cause
the outbreak of disease by increasing the
likelihood of exposed pools of stagnant
and infected waters. 4 In comparison
with temperate regions, there is a higher
proportion of long-lasting immunity in
the temperate zones than in the tropic
regions. This can also be attributed to the
lack of health safety in many countries that
occupy the tropical region. Additionally,
animal reservoirs are more common in
underdeveloped countries in the tropics.
Therefore, animal-transmitted diseases are
also more common in the tropics than in
temperate regions. However, temperate
regions are more susceptible to diseases
that arise from domesticated animals, such
as influenza A, measles, and smallpox.
Most temperate diseases “are acute rather
than slow, chronic, or latent,” therefore the
host dies quickly, decreasing the radius of
infection among the population. As a result,
these acute diseases exhaust the population
of susceptible victims before it reaches the
state of being an epidemic. 5 Ultimately,
humans actively proliferate diseases by
engaging in unfavorable exchange with the
external environment. Through interacting
with invasive microorganisms that result in
unfavorable autoimmune reactions, humans
easily pass contagions along to each other. 6
Essentially, the tropics are a hotbed for
epidemic outbreak because of the climate
conditions, the human activities and
development in the region, and the types
of diseases that persist there. In examining
epidemics that arise from the tropical
regions and evolved into a worldwide crisis,
it is important to analyze the two most
It is important to
analyze the two
most modern cases:
the AIDS epidemic
and the Ebola
outbreak.
modern cases: the AIDS epidemic and the
Ebola outbreak.
The 1990s was known for its weird fashion
and technological breakthroughs but also
for the AIDS epidemic that targeted young
adults, especially members of the LGBTQ+
community. Originating in the West Africa
region, AIDS is defined as the most severe
phase of the human immunodeficiency
virus (HIV). HIV reduces the number of T
cells that help the immune system fight
infection, making a person more susceptible
to other infections or cancers. Over time,
HIV can destroy so many of these cells that
the body is completely vulnerable and even
the most benign illness can cause severe
damage. 7 This virus is contracted through
certain bodily fluids, and is most often
spread through sex or sharing needles. 8 The
current medicine that is used to treat HIV
Is antiretroviral therapy, which can greatly
prolong lifespan if taken every day. This is
not a cure, but it allows people diagnosed
with HIV to live nearly as long as people who
do not have it. 7
10 | CATALYST