Articles: disease.
-
More than six-fold variation in incidence between countries, an increasing incidence among immigrants to high incidence areas, and a general increase in the incidence of breast cancer within countries, are factors which suggest a potential for prevention. Reproductive factors such as early menarche, late age at first full term birth, nulliparity, and late age at menopause increase risk of breast cancer, but manipulation of any one of these factors does not seem to be a realistic preventive tool. ⋯ Alcohol consumption by young women, and overweight among postmenopausal women may also increase the incidence of breast cancer. Consequently, reduced alcohol intake by young women, and weight reduction among overweight women after menopause may reduce the risk of breast cancer.
-
Infectious diseases are the main cause of mortality and morbidity in developing countries. The Expanded Programme on Immunization, initiated by WHO in 1974, now reaches 60 mill. a year at a cost of less than 2 US $ per immunized child, and saves 2.2 mill. lives annually. The present vaccines, however, have significant shortcomings. ⋯ By only modest investments modern gene technology could give improved and new vaccines which would potentially save 20 mill. lives a year. Particularly promising is the recent development of multi-vaccine-vectors. However, poor prospects for profit in developing countries and patent "swapping" by commercial producers severely hamper development in the vaccine field.
-
From 1985 to 1990, the CFC has monitored the growing national epidemic of Lime disease, which appears to parallel increased public awareness and knowledge of Lyme disease. Cases have now been reported from all 50 states, but the national surveillance program has been hampered by persistent confusion between the two diseases, with clinicians frequently reporting a case of Lime disease as Lyme disease. Analysis of surveillance reports of cases fulfilling the case-definition of Lime disease indicates that Lime disease is distributed uniformly throughout the United States (in contrast to the focal geographic occurrence of Lyme disease); the...