Report
Note: Workshop Summaries contain the opinion of the presenters, but do NOT reflect the conclusions of the IOM. Learn more about the differences between Workshop Summaries and Consensus Reports.
Worldwide, more than one billion people lack access to an adequate water supply; more than twice as many lack basic sanitation. Areas without adequate supplies of freshwater and basic sanitation carry the highest burdens of disease which disproportionately impact children under the age of five. The lack of access to and availability of clean water and sanitation has had devastating effects on many aspects of daily life. While poverty has been a major barrier to gaining access to clean drinking water and sanitation in many parts of the developing world, access to and the availability of clean water is a prerequisite to the sustainable growth and development of communities around the world.
Recognizing water availability, water quality, and sanitation as fundamental issues underlying infectious disease emergence, the Institute of Medicine’s Forum on Microbial Threats held a two-day public workshop in Washington, DC on September 23 and 24, 2008. Through invited presentations and discussions, participants explored global and local connections between water, sanitation, and health; the spectrum of water-related disease transmission processes as they inform intervention design; lessons learned from water-related disease outbreaks; vulnerabilities in water and sanitation infrastructure in both industrialized and developing countries; and opportunities to improve water and sanitation infrastructure so as to reduce the risk of water-related infectious disease.
Other Reports by this Activity
Displaying: 3 of 28 Reports
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The Science and Applications of Synthetic and Systems Biology - Workshop Summary
The completion of the initial draft of the human genome sequence in 2001 represented a fundamental shift in the way biology was studied, and allowed for vast post-genomic possibilities. Until the past decade, the work was often painstakingly slow; however, new strategies combining engineering and biological techniques have enhanced researchers' abilities. These new synthetic techniques allow for genes and long chains of DNA to be designed and manufactured from scratch using a computer and relevant chemical compounds, rather than manipulating pieces of existing genes from living cells. The IOM’s Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a public workshop March 14-15, 2011 to explore the scientific and policy dimensions of recent developments in genetic engineering and their applications to emerging infectious diseases.
Released: November 23, 2011
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Fungal Diseases: An Emerging Threat To Human, Animal, and Plant Health - Workshop Summary
Fungal diseases have contributed to death and disability in humans, triggered global wildlife extinctions and population declines, devastated agricultural crops, and altered forest ecosystem dynamics. Despite the extensive influence of fungi on health and economic well-being, the threats posed by emerging fungal pathogens to life on Earth are often underappreciated and poorly understood. On December 14 and 15, 2010, the IOM’s Forum on Microbial Threats hosted a public workshop to explore the scientific and policy dimensions associated with the causes and consequences of emerging fungal diseases.
Released: September 9, 2011
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