CDC’s “Emerging Infectious Diseases”: Resurgence of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in Venezuela as a Regional Public Health Threat in the Americas
Alberto E. Paniz-Mondolfi, infectious diseases pathologist and clinician at the IDB Biomedical Research Institute, Venezuelan Science Incubator, and Laboratory of Cell Signaling and Parasite Biochemistry (IDEA), and colleagues examine the resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases in Venezuela and the potential spread throughout the region. The authors write, “In this article, we discuss the ongoing epidemics of measles and diphtheria in Venezuela and their disproportionate impact on indigenous populations. We also discuss the potential for reemergence of poliomyelitis and conclude that action to halt the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases within Venezuela is a matter of urgency for the country and the region. We further provide specific recommendations for addressing this crisis” (April 2019).