Burden of infectious diseases in South Asia.

Discusses infectious diseases common to South Asia, including the major child-killers: acute respiratory infections, diarrhea and neonatal infections. Risk factors for disease in the region; Calculating the burden of disease; The burden of HIV and AIDS in India; Effort to control tuberculosis with the World Health Organization's directly observed therapy short course strategy; Data on diseases such as malaria, typhoid, dengue, and hepatitis B and C in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka; The problem of drug resistance in microbials due to misuse of antibiotics; The need for mass immunization programs for South Asian children; The need for public health surveillance systems in South Asia; Progress made in controlling infectious disease in Sri Lanka because of its well-functioning public health system; Suggestion for lowering the burden of disease.