Intestinal Infections: Their Epidemiology, Pathophysiology and Interventions in Public Health (KEY IJP************348)

• Rizwan Ijaz,Ashraf Ali,Hammad Khan,Kalybekova Kanykei Dosbaevna

Abstract

Intestinal infections pose a major public health concern worldwide, especially in areas with substandard sanitation, inadequate hygiene practices, and contaminated drinking water. The infections stemming from bacterial, viral, and parasitic agents inflict severe consequences on health and cause morbidity and mortality in young children, elderly populations as well as the immunocompromised. Recent epidemiological research has shown that diarrheal diseases, heavily associated with intestinal infections, are responsible for more than 1.6 million deaths each year, mostly in low and middle-income countries.This research pursuit aims to provide a detailed epidemiology of intestinal infections regarding the global burden of disease, risk factors, pathways of transmission, and clinical features. It also attempts to assess the contribution of antimicrobial resistance, climate changes, and socio-economic gap inequities to the disease burden. This article assesses public health programs, such as vaccination projects and sanitation and disease surveillance systems.Studying the available literature, this article underscores the need to design and implement an integrated multi-sectoral response to intestinal infections.