Disruption of Natural Systems Affects Health

Abstract

In disease ecology, much of the foundational work has been done using infectious disease systems that are associated with relatively small burdens of disease. We would benefit from greater understanding of the complex ecology of infectious diseases asso-ciated with very large global burdens such as malaria, diarrhea, influenza, schistosomiasis, dengue, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis. In addition, as outlined above, there is important work to do to characterize whether there are differences between those organisms that are first removed from a community during disturbance and those which are left behind with respect to their ability to transmit infectious diseases