GLOBAL TRENDS AND PROBLEMS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES – COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS

Summary: Globalization and the interconnectedness of countries in the modern world pose new challenges to public health. Over the centuries, infectious diseases have proven to be one of the major threats to global health. Historically, several pandemics and epidemics have changed and claimed the lives of millions of people around the world. Many infectious agents continue to pose a serious problem despite advances in medicine, public health awareness campaigns and vaccination. The aim of this review is to review global epidemiological trends and challenges related to three key infectious diseases: COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis. The COVID-19 pandemic, along with the long-standing threats of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, is posing a serious challenge to health systems and socio-economic structures in many countries. COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has spread rapidly around the world, resulting in significant numbers of cases, deaths, and long-term health problems. The consequences of infection “long” COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 unlocked syndromes have become one of the main causes of reduced work capacity and impaired quality of life in recent years. At the same time, HIV/AIDS remains a global health problem, especially in certain regions, and tuberculosis continues to pose a serious threat, especially in conditions of limited access to health services. Each of these health problems poses specific requirements for treatment and prevention, while leading to serious health, social and economic consequences, despite global initiatives and strategies to address them.