War & Pathogens, How Combat Drives Contagion
Send us a textWar is a vector of disease. The battlefield isn't just a place where bullets fly—it's where pathogens thrive and evolve. Throughout human history, war and disease have been inseparable companions, creating perfect storms of contagion that affect soldiers and civilians alike.Our journey begins in the Boer War concentration camps where measles swept through malnourished populations. We explore how the densely packed, unsanitary conditions created an environment where this highly contagious virus could spread with unprecedented severity, even among adults who typically have greater resistance.The trenches of World War I became breeding grounds for tuberculosis—a disease that claimed millions of lives with no effective treatment available beyond isolation, nutrition, and exposure to fresh air and sunlight. It would be decades after the war ended before the first effective medications were developed in the 1940s.War doesn't just spread existing diseases—it creates conditions for new ones to emerge. During World War II, when farming ceased in the occupied Crimean Peninsula, overgrown grasslands became habitats for wildlife and the ticks they carried. When Russian soldiers reclaimed the area in 1944, they encountered what would later be identified as Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. Similarly, the Korean War saw the emergence of Hantavirus among US soldiers.Perhaps most alarming is our exploration of the current Russia-Ukraine conflict, where overstretched medical systems have accelerated antimicrobial resistance to frightening levels. Klebsiella pneumoniae from Ukrainian wounds exhibits carbapenem resistance rates ten times higher than those observed anywhere else in Europe. These resistant strains are already crossing borders, detected in six European countries and as far away as Japan.The displacement of populations, collapse of healthcare infrastructure, and ecological disruptions caused by conflict create ripple effects that extend far beyond the battlefield. As one expert reminds us, perhaps "more effective than any vaccine, is peace."Subscribe, share, and join us next time as we continue exploring the intricate connections between human activity and disease emergence. The more we understand these relationships, the better prepared we'll be to face future health challenges.Thanks for listening to the Infectious Science Podcast. Be sure to visit infectiousscience.org to join the conversation, access the show notes, and don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to receive our free materials. We hope you enjoyed this new episode of Infectious Science, and if you did, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Please share this episode with others who may be interested in this topic! Also, please don’t hesitate to ask questions or tell us which topics you want us to cover in future episodes. To get in touch, drop us a line in the comment section or send us a message on social media. Instagram @InfectscipodFacebook Infectious Science PodcastSee you next time for a new episode!
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