What are the top 10 emerging diseases in the US and worldwide?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around identifying the top 10 emerging diseases in the US and worldwide. Participants explore definitions of emerging diseases, share examples, and debate the classification of specific diseases like AIDS.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks a definitive list of the top 10 emerging diseases in the US and globally.
  • Another participant argues that AIDS should not be classified as an emerging disease due to its long history.
  • A different participant provides a definition of emerging diseases, suggesting that AIDS could fit if it is considered to be reemerging or changing.
  • Some participants question what "recently" means in the context of disease emergence, noting that AIDS has been known for over 40 years.
  • There is a discussion about the timeline of AIDS, with references to its identification in the 1980s and earlier cases traced back to the 1950s.
  • One participant mentions chronic active hepatitis C and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) as examples of emerging diseases, linking them to current health trends.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach consensus on whether AIDS qualifies as an emerging disease, with multiple viewpoints presented regarding its classification and historical context. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the criteria for defining emerging diseases.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the definitions and timelines associated with emerging diseases, highlighting the complexity of categorizing diseases based on historical and current perspectives.

vitaly
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Hi, I'm trying to find the top 10 emerging diseases in the US and the top 10 worldwide. I've found lists of many diseases, including AIDS, SARS, etc., but I haven't been able to isolate the top 10 for either category.

Does anybody know a site that provides a definite list for each category?

All help is appreciated. Thank you.
 
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emerging?

AIDS is by no means an emerging disease
 
Why isn't it? The definition in my microbiology book is a disease 1) that has been recently identified, 2) that is reemerging and becoming more common, or 3) that is changing and becoming resistant to drugs.

Am I misunderstanding the definition?
 
Well I am not very knowledgeable on this subject but as far as that definition goes... i can offer this.

What is "recently" defined as. AIDS has been known for 5+ decades at the least. I also don't think "re-emerging" fits because I don't think it has ever "died down" for any amount of time and I don't think it is becoming resistant to drugs (hell its always been resistant to drugs for the most part i think).
 
You made a good point. AIDS has been known for a long time. I have a brand new textbook (recently published), and it states this: "SARS, AIDS, hepatitis C, and viral encepalitis are examples of recently identified diseases that cause sever mortality and morbidity and are currently on the rise." Thus, they are emerging.

My guess then is that it is resistant to drugs (or, like you said, has always been).
 
Pengwuino said:
AIDS has been known for 5+ decades at the least.
"The official date for the beginning of the AIDS epidemic is marked as June 18, 1981... In 1982, the CDC introduced the term AIDS to describe the newly recognized syndrome."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aids
 
1981?

What are those stupid demonstrations that i swear were from the 60's that were "protesting AIDS"? The video quality looked like the 60's... the people looked like hippies... what's going on here! :D
 
If AIDs was around in the 60's the love generation would not have happened.It was the 70's that places like Fire Island NY first saw people becoming ill, but they didn't know why.
 
Although they traced the onset of the disease back to the 50's, the epidemic took off in the 70's and was medically identified in the 80's. That is when the connection to retroviruses was discovered.
 
  • #10
[sidebar] Hawking might argue that computer viruses should be included in the list. :biggrin:[/sidebar]
 
  • #11
vitaly said:
Hi, I'm trying to find the top 10 emerging diseases in the US and the top 10 worldwide. I've found lists of many diseases, including AIDS, SARS, etc., but I haven't been able to isolate the top 10 for either category.

Does anybody know a site that provides a definite list for each category?

All help is appreciated. Thank you.

chronic active hepatits c, http://www.txtwriter.com/Onscience/Articles/hepatitisC.html

http://www.mihivnews.com/features/hepatitis_c.htm

It will make the AIDS epidemic look paltry by numbers in the near future

Another emerging disease that I can think of is NASH (non alcoholic steatohepatitis) of which 10% will progress to cirrosis. Also a burgeoning disease thanks to the obesity epidemic.
 
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