2012-03-15

Negative social mood and disease: HIV, malaria and TB breakout in Greece

This is a recurring topic for socionomics, see A Socionomic Study of Epidemic Disease – Parts 1 & 2 for background. Quick summary: negative social mood stresses the body and leads to greater incidence of epidemics. Here's the latest news from Greece:

Greece on the breadline: HIV and malaria make a comeback
The incidence of HIV/Aids among intravenous drug users in central Athens soared by 1,250% in the first 10 months of 2011 compared with the same period the previous year, according to the head of Médecins sans Frontières Greece, while malaria is becoming endemic in the south for the first time since the rule of the colonels.
The article blames hospital budget cuts, which may be a factor aiding in the large jump in cases.
"We are also seeing transmission between mother and child for the first time in Greece," she said. "This is something we are used to seeing in sub-Saharan Africa, not Europe. There has also been a sharp increase in cases of tuberculosis in the immigrant population, cases of Nile fever – leading to 35 deaths in 2010 – and the reappearance of endemic malaria in several parts of Greece, notably the south."

According to Papadopoulos, such sharp increases in communicable diseases are indicative of a system nearing breakdown. "The simple fact of the reappearance of malaria, with 100-odd cases in southern Greece last year and 20 to 30 more elsewhere, shows barriers to healthcare access have risen," she said. "Malaria is treatable, it shouldn't spread if the system is working."
This is a text book case of socionomic theory being proven correct.

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