Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Bashar Assad (AP)
Avian Influenza
Avian influenza, specifically the H5N1 strain, has the potential to become a deadly pandemic if it becomes communicable from human-to-human. Currently, it is spread between birds and from birds to humans. The Middle East’s first outbreak of avian influenza in birds occurred in January 2006 in northern Iraq. The disease has since appeared in Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, West Bank and Gaza. In Egypt 44 people have contracted avian influenza with 19 deaths and in Iraq three have contracted the disease with two deaths. Millions of birds have died or been killed, causing social and economic disruption for business, farmers and consumers in the region. To combat the threat of avian influenza regionally, Middle East countries are banding together. Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority have formed the Middle East Consortium on Infectious Disease Surveillance. The consortium shares information and laboratory resources and was able to slow the spread of avian influenza when it first appeared in the area. The United States is also supporting Middle Eastern efforts through bilateral and regional programs.
HIV/AIDS
Reported HIV/AIDS rates in the Middle East are some of the lowest world wide, with only 0.2 percent of adults infected. However, health experts are concerned about under reporting of the disease due to social norms as well as over- confidence in the protection conservative sexual norms will provide against the disease. To meet this threat, international organizations have helped to facilitate regional programs such as the World Bank’s 2005 Regional Strategy for preventing HIV/AIDS, which included an emphasis on supporting capacity building and knowledge sharing for HIV/AIDS programs.
Cholera
Cholera remains a regional health concern in the Middle East and recent outbreaks in Iraq have been particularly serious, leading Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria to take precautionary measures. Twenty-four people have died in the most recent outbreak in Iraq. While the spread of the diseases has not reached an epidemic level, the report of an outbreak in a country causes significant disruption. Countries tend to tighten their borders and restrict imports of food from countries with an outbreak, slowing trade.
Myiasis
Myiasis is the infestation of human or animal flesh with fly larvae and has recently broken out in Yemen. Infestations have also occurred in Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait. The disease is particularly problematic because it can be transferred through both humans and animals and, when an outbreak occurs, causes the freeze of livestock trade and a significant risk to regional economies should a significant outbreak occur among animals.
Foot and Mouth Disease
Foot and Mouth Disease, a virus that infects and kills cattle, sheep, and goats, is endemic across the Middle East. Given its widespread nature, regional groups have developed to limit the spread of a potentially costly outbreak. Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority formed the Middle East Regional Veterinarian Information System Project to combat animal diseases like foot and mouth disease. Under its auspices they combated an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 1999 in Jordan. Recent outbreaks have also occurred in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iran, the West Bank and Gaza. The disease remains a concern particularly because outbreaks have the ability to cause significant economic impact by banning livestock trade from infected countries and the mortality of infected animals. Israel estimates an outbreak could cost as much as $30 million in Israel alone. Indicative of this threat, Israeli authorities provided Gazan authorities with vaccines for animals brought back into Gaza after the recent border breach with Egypt to protect Israeli livestock against possible diseases brought from Egypt.