Deadly outbreaks and novel diseases have challenged human existence throughout history, profoundly impacting economics, culture, and commerce, killing world leaders and bringing down empires, says David Morens, a zoonotic disease expert at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Many of the viruses and bacteria behind these outbreaks existed for millennia without causing widespread harm. Human behavior has changed that. “Few people realize that measles, plague, and other diseases go back thousands of years, with Neolithic origins,” he says.
The growing human population, increasing globalization, and environmental damage are all accelerating the process,
Dangerous new human diseases are emerging at unprecedented rates. Mankind must recognize the interconnectedness of us all-men, animals, insects, and the environment.