Infectious disease risk from the Syrian conflict

Abstract

The breakdown of health care in Syria under the present conflict has been highlighted in ProMED reports on the increasing risk of leishmaniasis1–4 and rabies.5 However, these reports merely reflect the drastic deterioration in health care. A recent report from Médecins Sans Frontières6 highlights not only the destruction of health care facilities and the difficulties in treating injured people, but also describes the absence of childhood immunizations in many areas, lack of pharmaceuticals including antibiotics, and the lack of access to clean water and surge in diarrhea cases.