The Risk of Infectious Disease is Increasing

Diseases, such as AIDS, SARS and Avian flu, among other infectious diseases, have rapidly emerged worldwide, making infectious diseases a serious political and medical priority.

While health authorities in Australia were dealing with an outbreak of dengue fever, Mexico was dealing with a swine flu epidemic.

According to www.vetmed.wisc.edu/pbs/zoonoses/ "Zoonotic diseases are diseases caused by infectious agents that can be transmitted between (or are shared by) animals and humans."

The medical community has been seeing a rapid increase in the manifestation of new zoonoses from animals due to human's intrusion into wildlife habitations. The AIDS virus began when people in Africa took to the jungle for food. Stalking bushmeat (animals in the wild) also resulted in outbreaks of Ebola.

Uriel Kitron, an environmental studies professor at Emory University said, "In many developing countries, people are moving from rural areas to mega-cities, where they continue to practice subsistence agriculture. Whenever you have large concentrations of people, domestic animals and poor sanitation and water supply, you have many opportunities for disease transmission."

Due to international travel, these diseases, like West Nile virus, are spreading around the world.

In April of 2009, more than a thousand people came down with Dengue fever in Queensland Australia. Had an infected traveler carried the disease to another country, there could have been serious consequences.

When these pandemics subside and the authorities announce that the situation is under control, is it truly under control? The carcass of an infected bird remains infected for up to two years, yet millions of infected poultry carcasses (4 million in Virginia alone) were dumped into landfills around the world.

What's more, government officials are slow to react to pandemics due in part to inadequate funding along with the economic effects. Meanwhile, the problem accelerates and the infection spreads. Many of those who may be infected had rather risk exposing others to the disease rather than lose wages.

The acceleration of infectious disease is part of the End Time prophecies. If we are living in the End Times, the diseases we are experiencing today will pale in comparison to what lies ahead.

"But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by... And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences... But there shall not an hair of your head perish... And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke 21)

Sharing the planet with more than six billion people, millions of which travel from one country to another, it's no wonder that risk of infectious diseases are accelerating. The planet could easily accommodate us if it wasn't for the ones who are ravishing it.

When Jesus fed the multitude, he ordered the disciples to gather the leftovers so that nothing would be wasted. He could feed more than five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fishes, yet He saved the leftovers.

The world's attitude is, "Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die," but those of us who call ourselves Christians are supposed to be following the Savior's example. Are we?

"And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46)

The risk of infectious disease is accelerating, along with wars, famine, earthquakes and other natural disasters. Be aware of what is happening.

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke 21:36)