From 1973 to 1995, 29 new and reemerging pathogenic microbes were recognize
d. However, in discussions about emerging infectious diseases, the focus is
often on the clinical effects of the host-parasite relationship, rather th
an the examination of the: biology of the pathogen. Many of what we refer t
o as emerging diseases are characterized better as 'diseases of human progr
ess'. Thus. the aerosolization of water has played an important role in the
emergence of Legionella pneumophila infections. New diseases are superimpo
sed on endemic diseases such as diarrhoeal diseases, malaria and tuberculos
is. In addition, many pathogens are becoming increasingly resistant to stan
dard antimicrobial drugs, making treatment difficult and in some cases impo
ssible. We summarize our experience on emerging parasitic diseases (primary
amoebic meningoencephalitis, respiratory cryptosporidiosis, and diplogonop
oriasis), and selected problems of bacterial resistance (MDR tuberculosis c
aused by Mycobacterium bovis and macrolide-resistance mechanisms of Strepto
coccus pneumoniae and S. pyogenes). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. and Inte
rnational Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.