Day by day diseases around the globe evolve causing thousands of people to suffer and even loose their lives. In various parts of the world different diseases spread according to the climate and the inhabitants. From obesity in the U.S., AIDS in Africa or drug addiction in Afghanistan to alcoholism in Russia. In the public’s perception, a particular disease is attached to every country. But is this so?
In the past, each country had its specific diseases, that only travelers transmitted worldwide. For example, when the Spaniards discovered America, they also introduced to the native population the smallpox, the plague and many other less dangerous for Europeans diseases, which were extremely deadly to indigenous people. There is a version that, in turn, the Indians “paid off” the Europeans with syphilis.
Since that time, diseases may belong to one country only conditionally. Syphilis has been also called “Spanish” and “French” and “Dutch” disease. Influenza was first “Russian” disease, but in the early 20s of the last century became “Spanish” and took the lives of about 20 million people.
Many travel websites publish information about the most common infectious diseases in popular destinations. According to a British medical journal, quoted by BBC, the most dangerous is Central and Southern Africa where 20% of the arriving tourists are infected, the second – Southeast, South and Central Asia (10-11%) and third – Central and South America (5-6%).
Africa
The epidemiological situation on the continent is so intensive that travelers should expect almost everything. Most recently, talks spreaded in scientific circles about worms-parasites, causing so-called “elephant disease ‘, which leads to swellings of different body parts.
However, the main disease in Africa, after considering the wave of HIV infection continues to be malaria. Second ranks intestinal parasites (amoebas, helminths), with which practically most of the population lives. Still most dangerous remain the high fevers, to which Africans have built up immunity, but for Europeans, such often have a fatal outcome.
North Africa and Asia
In the countries of North Africa and the Middle East is the greatest risk of acute intestinal infections – typhoid, dysentery, and also hepatitis A and E. A frequent visitor there is cholera, especially in crowded India, where it is often the necessary health conditions are not met. The hot climate increases the risk of infection with parasitic worms and malaria.
Central and South America
For many centuries, the countries in Central And South America have been dominated by acute intestinal infections and malaria. Large number of the local population also suffers from alcoholism. For example, 60% of Mexicans abuse alcohol.
Europe
The scourge of modern Europeans are cardiovascular and neurological diseases, which are caused by poor environmental situation, alcohol, tobacco and products high in cholesterol. The only difference is that in Western Europe, the main risk factor is high body weight and cholesterol, while in Eastern Europe – the alcohol.
