Eradicating infectious disease : can we and should we : a critical examination

Abstract

To highlight the possible consequences of eradicating disease, relevant literature on the intended and unintended consequences of disease eradication was reviewed. Though resource-intensive, eradication is often more cost-effective than long-term control. Global health leaders pursue eradication when the benefits promise lasting public health gains and transformative impact, as in the case of smallpox, guinea worm, and rinderpest. Competitive release, where other pathogens with similar transmission modes or tissue tropism expand into the vacated niche, is discussed. One underlying principle of the One Health approach to understanding emerging infectious diseases is that human, animal, and environmental health are driven by a complex interplay of ecological, behavioral, and socioeconomic factors. The law of unintended consequences means that whenever humans alter one factor, a completely unexpected event may occur. This complexity should be kept in mind in the formulation of any disease eradication or control program.