Pandemics and Global Health (Global Connections)

Outbreaks of new diseases are emerging at unprecedented rates of one or more per year since the 1970s. Indiscriminate and unaware of political boundaries, newer viruses such as SARS, avian flu, and swine flu have surfaced to infect a world already battling West Nile virus, dengue fever, and HIV/AIDS. As modern health officials struggle to contain and cure these maladies, a rising drug resistance has created superbugs, making many trusted "wonder drugs" ineffective. Pandemics and Global Health examines the impact of globalization on health and disease, providing examples of the diseases that have been eradicated and those that continue to ravage the world's population.