Efforts to eliminate diseases have historically been unsuccessful, leading experts to suggest a focus on control and coexistence. According to Joanna Thompson’s report for Undark, many diseases, including Lyme and malaria, have complex ecologies that involve multiple hosts and vectors. As a result, recent efforts are focused on prevention strategies, such as using narrow-spectrum antibiotics in natural reservoirs and developing gene-edited mosquitoes.
Susan Jones, an ecologist and historian at the University of Minnesota, emphasizes the importance of shifting resources towards prevention and surveillance. This approach is seen as the most effective, especially considering the limited resources available. Jones highlights that efforts to eradicate diseases in the past, like the Soviet campaign against plague, have largely failed. This has led to a shift towards containment strategies.
Understanding the complexity of zoonotic diseases underscores the need for sustainable prevention strategies rather than focusing on eradication. Disturbing natural habitats increases the risk of wildlife diseases. Coexistence and control of diseases are more feasible and effective in the long run compared to attempting eradication.
