Abstract:
Infectious diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide,
more especially in low and middle-income countries,
particularly in young children. Infectious diseases were
responsible for the largest global burden of premature death
and disability until the end of the twentieth century. The World
Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2016, about three
infectious diseases were ranked in the top ten causes of death
globally; namely, lower respiratory infections, diarrheal
diseases, and tuberculosis, which have cumulatively killed
about 5.7 million people [1]. It has been reported that in Africa,
more than 70.0% of deaths among children under 5 are caused
by infectious diseases [2]. Malaria causes about 15.0% of
deaths among under 5 years of age children in sub-Saharan
Africa. Since 1970, the global under-five mortality has been
decreasing. Smallpox was responsible for about 300-500
million deaths in the twentieth century and it was declared to
be the first disease eradicated from the planet as a result of a
global immunization campaign by the World Health
Organization. Poliovirus has been eliminated from almost all
countries [1].