• 30 Jun, 2025
• Faith Kegh
• No comment

Resurgence of Previously Controlled Diseases Threatens Global Health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has long worked toward eradicating many infectious diseases. However, diseases once under control are reappearing worldwide, with many pathogens now highly resistant to antibiotics.

These re-emerging diseases include tuberculosis, plague, Lassa fever, yellow fever, measles, cholera, malaria, typhoid fever, influenza, dengue fever, Staphylococcus infections, and diphtheria.

The WHO attributes this resurgence to factors such as declining vaccination rates, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and changes in climate and environment. The organization stresses that immunization remains critical in preventing the spread of these diseases.

Diphtheria, a deadly disease once largely controlled, is making a comeback in Nigeria and other parts of the world. Although global diphtheria cases declined by over 80% between 1980 and 2018, five outbreaks are currently active in the WHO African Region, including in Nigeria, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger, and South Africa. The disease spreads through respiratory droplets, close contact, and contaminated objects.

In Nigeria, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported 42,642 suspected diphtheria cases, with 25,812 confirmed, between February and March 2025. Among confirmed cases, 1,319 deaths were recorded. Diphtheria can cause severe damage to organs like the heart, kidneys, and nerves.

Tuberculosis is also resurging globally. In Europe, over 225,000 cases and 16,000 deaths were reported in 2023, according to the 2025 European Tuberculosis Surveillance Report. Thirty percent of these cases were drug-resistant. The WHO noted that more than half of Europe’s drug-resistant tuberculosis cases are among patients who have been previously treated.

In the United States, 147 cases and two deaths were reported in an outbreak earlier this year. The US CDC warned that tuberculosis strains have developed multi-drug resistance, placing Mycobacterium tuberculosis back on the WHO’s critical pathogen list.

Measles outbreaks have increased significantly, with 57 countries reporting cases as of March 2025, including Morocco, DR Congo, Canada, and the US. Morocco recorded over 25,000 cases with 184 deaths since late 2023. In DR Congo, about 2,000 cases and 180 deaths were reported. The US has reported over 1,000 confirmed cases this year despite measles being declared eliminated in 2000. Canada and Mexico have also reported significant outbreaks.

Meningitis cases have also risen, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, and in the US. This disease inflames the membranes around the brain and spinal cord.

Cholera, a waterborne infection, has surged in Eastern and Southern Africa. Since 2023, the region has experienced its worst cholera epidemic, affecting 13 countries with over 200,000 cases and 3,000 deaths. Zambia reported over 9,500 cases and 374 deaths, with children making up more than half of the cases. Zimbabwe has seen over 18,000 cases, with many infections affecting young children.

UNICEF’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli, highlighted the impact of climate change and events like El Niño in worsening the cholera outbreak.

Antimicrobial resistance complicates treatment efforts, and climate-related ecosystem disruptions make controlling outbreaks more challenging. Consequently, the WHO emphasizes vaccination as the most effective means of preventing these infectious diseases.

Faith Kegh

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