- The development and use of many new medications, particularly antibiotics and antiviral drugs, has saved many lives by helping to cure infectious diseases.
New and Re-Emerging Diseases Since 1980, many new diseases have appeared and several diseases once thought to have been eradicated have recurred. There are two main reasons for these changes.
- Interactions with exotic animals have increased.
- The misuse of medications has caused diseases that were once under control, such as tuberculosis and malaria, to evolve resistance to many antibiotics.