The New Plagues: Pandemics and Poverty in a Globalized World

Stefan H. E. Kaufmann's contribution to The Sustainability Project is out today; we promise that we haven't embarked on any viral marketing.

Professor Kaufmann's book is probably the most topical book possible at the moment - accessible, comprehensive and up-to-date, it deals with the ‘new plagues’ that threaten every one of us. Yes, we can fight the spread of transmissible diseases; we have the knowledge and the financial means, but innovative approaches are called for to change political will and make a real difference.

“It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.” (Charles Darwin)

Pathogens are proving to be the major winners in the globalization of our world: microorganisms are able to respond to changes and adapt to new situations faster than any other form of life on Earth. A pathogen that affects one person in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico can spread to the entire world within one to two days: more than ever before people are in constant interaction with each other. We are witnessing a resurgence of transmissible diseases – and we only have ourselves to blame. Multiple factors linked to globalization (e.g.travel and international food trade) are opening up unprecedented opportunities for pathogens. But humans also have more means to defend themselves against pathogens than ever before. We understand precisely how they emerge and cause diseases; we are able to detect outbreaks promptly; and we have at our disposal an arsenal of diagnostic agents, vaccines, and drugs. What we lack, however, is a determined will to act, to apply the available resources, and to develop new strategies. We have shown ourselves incapable of supplying poorer countries with vaccines and antibiotics in sufficient quantities. And now, in the 21st century, we are running out of options. Drugs and vaccines simply generate too little profit for the market to provide sufficient incentives for their development and production. New, innovative approaches are called for, but we need to act now.

In The New Plagues: Pandemics and Poverty in a Globalized World, Kaufmann first introduces ‘The Invaders’ and ‘The Defenders’: in a scientifically precise but immediately accessible style, he briefly explains the biology and survival strategies of microorganisms, before presenting the types of defenses the human body mounts to fight them. He goes on to discuss those transmissible diseases that are of greatest concern at the moment, and the means we have available for treating and preventing them. The results are surprising; respiratory infections are number one, particularly TB, which he dubs ‘The White Plague’. This is closely linked to HIV/AIDS, and particularly dramatic increases have been seen recently in Eastern Europe, East and Central Asia. He then address the question of why today’s world is a rich breeding ground for ‘old’ diseases, such as cholera and malaria, and new pathogens, like SARS or the H5N1 virus.

Finally, and most importantly, he proposes workable solutions for preventing new outbreaks of infectious diseases and for combating existing ones. There is a comprehensive chapter on governmental and non-governmental organizations whose mission is to uphold the basic right to health stated by the UN Charter. Kaufmann frankly evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of, e.g. the IMF, Doctors Without Borders, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Kaufmann also peppers his text with proverbs and wisdom he has collected from all over the world. They serve to highlight that, at a basic level, this is a universal human problem that demands a simple common-sense approach, and this is what he delivers. During the five minutes or so it will take you to read the introduction to this book, fifty people – not just in a remote village in Africa – will have become infected with HIV. In addition, tuberculosis will claim seventeen lives, and malaria will kill ten children. Had we already done what we are capable of and exploited our resources more effectively, many of those people would still be alive. “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito.” (African proverb)