Diseases of poverty

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Diseases of poverty, also known as poverty-related diseases, are diseases that are more prevalent in low-income populations.^[1] They include infectious diseases, as well as diseases related to malnutrition and poor health behaviour. Poverty is one of the major social determinants of health. The World Health Report (2002) states that diseases of poverty account for 45% of the disease burden in the countries with high poverty rate which are preventable or treatable with existing interventions.^[2] Diseases of poverty are often co-morbid and ubiquitous with malnutrition.^[3] Poverty increases the chances of having these diseases as the deprivation of shelter, safe drinking water, nutritious food, sanitation, and access to health services contributes towards poor health behaviour. At the same time, these diseases act as a barrier for economic growth to affected people and families caring for them which in turn results into increased poverty in the community.^[4] These diseases produced in part by poverty are in contrast to diseases of affluence, which are diseases thought to be a result of increasing wealth in a society.^[5]

Poverty and infectious diseases are causally related. Even before the time of vaccines and antibiotics, before 1796, it can be speculated that, leaders were adequately protected in their castles with decent food and standard accommodation, conversely, the vast majority of people were living in modest, unsanitary homes; cohabiting with their animals.^[6][7][8] During this time people were unknowingly dying of infectious diseases in an event that; they touched their sick animals, had cuts in their skins, drank something that was not boiled or ate food that was contaminated by microbes. To exacerbate the situation, epidemics known as plagues then would emerge and wipe out the whole community.^[9] During this time, people had no knowledge on infectious diseases and their causes. After speculations that their illnesses were being caused by an invisible army of tiny living beings, microorganisms, Antonie van Leeuwenhoek invented the first microscope that confirmed the existence of microorganisms that cannot be visualised with the naked eye (around the 17th century).^[10][11]

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), malaria, and tuberculosis (TB), also known as "the big three", have been acknowledged as infectious diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries.^[1] HIV is a viral illness that can be transmitted sexually, by transfusion, shared needles and during child birth from mother to child. Due to its long latent period, there is a danger of its spread without action.^[12] It affects the human body by targeting T-cells, that are responsible for protection from uncommon infections and cancers. It is managed by life prolonging drugs known as antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). TB was discovered by Robert Koch in 1882.^[13][14] It is characterised by fever, weight loss, poor appetite and night sweats. Throughout the years, there has been an improvement in mortality and morbidity caused by TB. This improvement has been attributed to the introduction of the TB vaccine in 1906. Despite this, each year the majority infected by TB are the poor.^{[15] [16]} Finally, malaria used to be prevalent throughout the world. It is now limited to developing and warm regions; Africa, Asia, and South America.^{[citation needed]}