Communicable Diseases, Globalization of

This article examines the spatial distribution of leading infectious causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Beginning with simple models explaining the spatial pattern of infectious diseases, the epidemiologic transition, and disease ecology models, the article focuses on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, polio, SARS, and influenza as well as sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea. It addresses the problem of disease strain mutation and especially drug resistance, and argues for the application of genotyping in medical geography research. The article emphasizes how migration and increased global interaction are producing a globalization of infectious diseases while at the same time, ethnic residential segregation is producing spatial concentrations of infectious disease or different strains of disease.