World Health Day 2014: Preventing vector-borne diseases

Commentary: The World Health Organization (WHO) recently had World Health Day, where they highlighted the serious and increasing threat of vector-borne diseases, with the slogan “Small bite, big threat”. “More than half the world’s population is at risk from diseases such as malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, Lyme disease, schistosomiasis, and yellow fever, carried by mosquitoes, flies, ticks, water snails and other vectors. Every year, more than one billion people are infected and more than one million die from vector-borne diseases“.

We need to have a concerted effort on the part of our governments and health care authorities to tackle the emerging threat of these vector borne diseases. Vector-borne illness increases morbidity and mortality, while significantly increasing health care costs. A comprehensive approach to prevention and early detection is essential, and the MSIDS questionnaire in my book can help health care providers determine if the patient suffers from a multisystemic illness due to Lyme and associated tick-borne diseases, where earlier intervention can be beneficial.

World Health Day 2014: Preventing vector-borne diseases, World Health Organization Media centre