Perceived Threats and Real Killers

Today, there seem to be two distinct types of infectious diseases: the rare but much feared diseases
for which investigators greatly outnumber the fatal cases, and the major everyday infectious
diseases that are real killers, for which the number of deaths massively outnumber the investigators.
The challenge for us all is to sustain research on the killer diseases while keeping in perspective
those diseases that remain largely as threats. As we set priorities in public health, we should ensure
that new interest generated by emerging infections helps to both sustain and support programs to
control and prevent the recurrent killer diseases whose global burden remains great and where investments
can be lifesaving. We need to guide the public’s attention and policymakers’ priorities to
keep the response to the epidemic of the day in perspective and not lose sight of the real infectious
disease problem: the everyday killers of children and adults around the world.