The Guardians of Tommorrow

By Jacob nyali and Millen Nyale

"Disease X" refers to a hypothetical, yet-to-be-identified pathogen that could potentially cause a severe global epidemic or pandemic. The term was coined by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018 to highlight the need for preparedness against unknown infectious diseases.

Significance of Disease X
The concept underscores the reality that emerging infectious diseases can arise from various sources, including zoonotic transmissions from wildlife to humans. Historical pandemics have shown that pathogens can emerge unexpectedly, necessitating robust surveillance and rapid response strategies.

Current Context
As the world continues to recover from COVID-19, experts emphasize the importance of maintaining vigilance against future threats like Disease X. This includes investing in research, enhancing global health security measures, and fostering international cooperation to ensure swift action when new pathogens are identified.

Call to Action
The narrative surrounding Disease X serves as a reminder for governments and health organizations to prioritize pandemic preparedness. It advocates for proactive measures such as improving vaccine development timelines and strengthening public health infrastructure globally.

Learning from the past we see how other institutions(Sanitariums) were treating these infectious diseases which led to low fatality rate. We also learn about the best preparation is to fortify our bodies against this unseen foe.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jacob nyali
• Release date: Nov 5, 2024
• ISBN: 9798227664327

Book preview

Acknowledgment

I extend my deepest gratitude to the Almighty God, whose boundless grace and unwavering presence guided me through this incredible journey of writing. Without divine inspiration and blessings, this endeavor would not have been possible.

My heartfelt thanks to my dearest woman, Virginia. Your unwavering love, encouragement, and understanding fueled my determination to pursue this dream. Your constant support and belief in my abilities have been my pillars of strength.

To my brother, Millen Nyale (co-author), your enduring belief in me and your invaluable advice were a constant source of motivation. Your enthusiasm for this project and tireless encouragement kept me focused and inspired throughout the writing process.

Introduction

In a world constantly on the precipice of discovery and evolution, there exists a danger of uncertainty, a mystery that haunts the collective imagination of the global health professionals and the public alike- an unknown pathogen known only as Disease X. This phantom entity, conceived by the World Health Organization (WHO), represents a hypothetical, yet chilling, potentially—the emergency of an entirely novel infectious agent that could spiral into a global health crisis, disrupting the fabric of society and challenging our preparedness.

Welcome to the foreboding realm of Disease X, where imagination meets science and anticipation walks hand in hand with fear. In this book we shall navigate the intricate maze of infectious diseases, drawing from historical pandemics and cutting-edge scientific knowledge, seeking to explain the shadows that shroud this hypothetical adversary. We delve into the heart of the unknown, contemplating the plausible scenarios that Disease X could unfold upon humanity.

Health experts from around the world have cautioned that Covid-19 may be just a precursor to more devastating pandemics in future. Dame Kate Bingham, who chaired the UK’s Vaccine Taskforce, issued a grim warning that the next pandemic could claim at least 50 million lives, emphasizing that the world had been fortunate that Covid-19 was not more lethal.

This book is not aiming at invoking fear in the readers but a clarion call for preparedness—a call to action. The book’s aim is to awaken a collective vigilance, to foster a resilient spirit in the face of uncertainty. Together we shall explore the past, present and the future, embracing the lessons learned and how we should face the unknown in the near future. For in this journey lies the power to strengthen ourselves against the mysterious threat of Disease X.  

Chapter 1

THE ORIGIN OF PANDEMICS

The Modern-day pandemics and outbreaks of diseases such as H1N1 influenza pandemic, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) associated corona virus, serve as touching reminders of our global vulnerability to emergent threats to human health, our current inability to predict or prevent such events. However, despite the seemingly unpredictable nature of disease emergence, there are lessons to be learned from the origin of recently emerged diseases as well as those that have their origins in the most distant past, lessons may offer clues as to how future infectious disease outbreaks and pandemics may be treated and prevented.

ZOONOTIC DISEASE EMERGENCE

The majority of all human infectious diseases and pandemics have originated through the cross-species transmission of microorganisms from animals to humans. However, because most animal pathogens are not readily transmitted to humans, it follows that for an animal pathogen to become a specialized pathogen in humans, multiple variables must combine in a dynamic and as yet not fully understood process of cross-species transmission. For an animal pathogen to become a successful human pathogen, it must evolve into a pathogen capable of not only infecting humans, but maintaining a long-term human to human transmission without the need for reintroduction from the original animal host. This process can be categorized into five progressive stages (Wolfe et al., 2007). The stage 1 involves animal microbes that are not present in the humans under natural conditions, such as most malarial plasmodia. When a pathogen evolves such that, it can be transmitted to a human under natural conditions but cannot support sustained human to human transmission, it has entered stage 2. Examples of such