As a result of public health measure in the U.S., the average lifespan has increased by 25-30 years since 1900. But the battle is far from over. Modern transportation has taken deadly diseases from obscure corners of the world and transplanted them in major cities within hours. HIV, the fragile virus that causes AIDS, should have remained isolated in Africa. Instead, it became an international epidemic.
New diseases continue to surface.
And some diseases that were conquered decades ago, like tuberculosis and Hepatitis B, have developed strains immuned to traditional methods of treatment, engaging us anew in the battle for their eradication. Of great concern today is staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria causing infection, that was once conquered by methicillin, an antibiotic. But, a new strain, commonly known as MRSA, defied methicillin, forcing physicians to use a stronger antibiotic, vancomycin, which has become virtually the only way to treat the problem. The latest strain, discovered in 1997 in Japan, is now resistant to vancomycin. Hopefully we will have learned enough to help us overcome whatever new diseases may be lurking around the next corner.