Today, many of us may be unsuspectingly helping to spread disease and to create drug-resistant germs. Worldwide, the third largest cause of death is infectious disease. Recently at a press meeting held by the American Medical Association, this was the cause for concern. One major point was that many parents who fear side effects from vaccines are contributing to the threat. Dr. Bruce Gellin, executive director of the National Network for Immunization Information at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, warned that even a small drop in the vaccination rate could lead to the reappearance of fatal diseases such as measles as whooping cough. He added that young parents today, may not be taking this threat seriously enough. Even chickenpox, which many people consider to be minor, leads to 15,000 hospitalizations and 100 deaths a year. Another speaker, Dr. Stuart Levy, directory of the Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance at Tufts University, said antibacterial soaps and sprays, which today are popular for washing hands among other purposed can actually encourage the growth of more drug-resistant germs. These products basically kill the weaker the germs and let the stronger ones live to reproduce, basically carrying out the “survival of the fittest” routine. Another speaker also noted that the United States is not prepared for a bio-terrorist attack, if one was to occur.

REFERENCE:

Denise Grady. “Disease Spread Is Traced to Many Agents”
The New York Times. June 2, 2000