"Infectious diseases account for a quarter of all human mortality and a similar fraction of morbidity (1). Infectious diseases of crops and livestock cost the global economy uncounted billions of euros every year. On top of this, sudden epidemics of infectious diseases can deliver humanitarian and economic shocks on a scale difficult to absorb." (Science, 8 September 2006:
Vol. 313. no. 5792, pp. 1392 - 1393).
"Infectious Diseases: preparing for the future", a report from this Foresight project indicates that new measures to combat infectious diseases could drastically cut mortality, save billions of euros and eliminate the need for mass animal culling. It also concludes however that current and new infectious diseases will continue to have profound human, economic and social impacts, and that unless new ways of sharing research and technological advances are implemented at all levels, the poorest people in the world will continue to suffer disproportionately.
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