Changes in Human Ecology and Behavior in Relation to the Emergence of Diarrheal Diseases, Including Cholera

Human populations throughout the world can be found in diverse conditions. A proportion of the population of developing countries lives in deprived conditions characterized by ramshackle housing, lack of piped water and sanitation, and widespread fecal contamination of the environment. Enteric infec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1994-03, Vol.91 (7), p.2390-2394
Main Authors: Levine, Myron M., Levine, Orin S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacterial diseases
Bacterial diseases of the digestive system and abdomen
Behavior
Biological and medical sciences
Brackish
Cholera
Cholera - epidemiology
Developing Countries
Diarrhea
Diarrhea - epidemiology
Disease outbreaks
Diseases
Ecology
Enterobacteriaceae Infections - epidemiology
Epidemiology
Escherichia coli
Food Services
Freshwater
Global Health
Human bacterial diseases
Human ecology
Humans
Industrial ecology
Industrialized nations
Infections
Infectious diseases
LDCs
Marine
Medical sciences
Pathogens
Pediatrics
Population ecology
Shigella
Vibrio cholerae
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Summary:Human populations throughout the world can be found in diverse conditions. A proportion of the population of developing countries lives in deprived conditions characterized by ramshackle housing, lack of piped water and sanitation, and widespread fecal contamination of the environment. Enteric infections, particularly due to bacterial pathogens, are readily transmitted under these circumstances. In contrast, the majority of inhabitants of industrialized countries live in a sanitary environment that generally discourages the transmission of enteric pathogens, particularly bacteria. In both these ecologic niches, changes in human ecology and behavior are leading to the emergence of certain enteric infections. Relevant factors in developing areas include urbanization (leading to periurban slums), diminished breast-feeding, and political upheaval that results in population migrations. In industrialized areas, large-scale food production (e.g., enormous poultry farms), distribution, and retailing (e.g., fast-food chains) create opportunities where widespread and extensive outbreaks of food-borne enteric infection can ensue if a breakdown in food hygiene occurs.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.91.7.2390