In something like two months you d wipe out one-fifth of New Orleans, states Barry Bloom, an immunologist at Yeshiva University in New York, and you d run out of existing vaccine in 48 hours because it s made in Brazil and nowhere else in the world. More people are gravitating to densely populated, urbanized areas where overcrowding breeds poor hygiene and other conditions conducive to disease. Mass migration and air travel also are boons to disease transmission. Global trade and commerce play a part too. Senior citizens are prime targets for viruses, and life-saving measures such as radiation therapy chemotherapy and organ transplants lower the body s natural defenses.
Scientists unanimously insist that the public health infrastructure has eroded.
Complacency may be part of the reason, but budget cuts are the main culprit. The medical community on a local, state, and federal level should become more aware that the hepatitis C virus is often overlooked in patient diagnosis and as an occupational risk. HCV results in an estimated 70,000 cases of chronic liver disease each year. HCV has been emerging as the newest piece in the complex puzzle of preventing and treating bloodborne illnesses. But many unknowns remain in this important scientific challenge.