Globalization Helps Spread ‘Exotic’ Diseases

Globalization means increased travel and tourism for many people in the developed world. But when travelers return home, they can bring more than photographs and memories. Often unbeknownst to them, pathogens travel on their bodies and with belongings. In recent years, Europe has seen the outbreak of a handful of diseases traditionally associated with the tropical world. Northern Italy saw several hundred cases of the Chikungunya virus several years ago, a disease spread by mosquitoes. The disease was likely accompanied by a traveler who passed it to mosquitoes in the region which then passed it on to other humans. Increasing trade and travel, a function of globalization, responsible for many past pandemics, will continue to pose a threat to Europe's health and welfare. – YaleGlobal