South-Eastern Asia
Paris DH., White NJ.
Southeast Asia is the most populated area of the world and a global hot spot for the emergence of new infectious diseases and drug resistance. The emergence and spread of artemisinin-resistant malaria and multidrug resistant (MDR) TB and the widespread use of poor quality anti-infective drugs emanating from this region all pose serious global risks. Socioeconomic factors, tropical climate with vegetation ranging from paddy fields over scrublands to tropical jungle, as well as abundant domestic animal reservoirs (pigs, poultry) allow for a wide range of infectious diseases. Unfortunately epidemiological data on many of these infectious diseases remain limited, and their prevalence and incidence are often uncertain. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.