CPD Editorial: Viral diseases in Family Practice

Abstract

Despite the fact that the science of virology is relatively young, infectious diseases have been an ever-present threat to humankind from ancient to modern times. It was only over 100 years ago that viruses were identified as being distinct from bacteria by showing that they were filterable and therefore much smaller than bacteria. The world will never be free from infectious diseases in spite of the medical advances that we enjoy in the 21st century. This is illustrated by the Black Death in the Middle Ages, the 1918 “Spanish Flu pandemic, towards the last quarter of the 20th century the HIV/AIDS pandemic and the current threat of an avian flu-related pandemic. Medical science has been successful in eliminating one viral infection so far. Smallpox was eradicated in 1980 by the use of a live attenuated vaccine. Current endeavours to eradicate other viral infections such as poliomyelitis and measles are much more challenging than initially anticipated. In spite of medical advances in the biotechnology field such as developing new and innovative therapeutic strategies and new vaccines we are continually challenged with the appearance of new pathogens. Examples of the re-emergence or resurgence of known pathogens are West Nile fever, dengue, tuberculosis and malaria. Overall, infectious diseases remain the third leading cause of death in the United States each year and the second leading cause of death worldwide.