Infectious and Parasitic Diseases
One indirect result of malnutrition and poverty more broadly is a high rate of infectious and parasitic disease. As Table 4.2 shows, such diseases account for more deaths in the less developed nations (and far more in the least developed nations) than in the more developed nations.
As in Europe and the United States before the 20th century, the high rates of infectious and parasitic diseases in the less developed nations reflect the dismal circumstances in which many people live. As we’ve already seen, malnutrition leaves individuals far more susceptible to a wide range of diseases. In addition, overcrowding promotes the spread of airborne diseases such as tuberculosis, and contamination of the water supply with sewage spreads waterborne diseases such as cholera and intestinal infections. Similarly, poor housing and lack of clean water for bathing result in frequent contact with disease-spreading rats, fleas, and lice.
The infectious and parasitic diseases that cause the most deaths in the less de- veloped nations are HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases, and malaria. The next section discusses these four diseases plus a fifth, Zika virus, which is spreading rapidly.
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