Global Travel, Trade, and the Spread of Viral Infections

Abstract

This chapter describes how human travel, population mobility, and trade influence and affect the extent and spread of viruses. It reviews some of the possible implications of sustained climatic change on these processes. General principles supported by specific examples are used to describe the relationships and outcomes. The chapter focuses on the processes through which human population mobility and trade can influence the spread of viruses. The movement and spread of viral infections can take place in one of two ways: extension or expression. The human response to viral exposure and possible infection can be affected and governed by several biological and genetic factors. At the genetic level, cellular structural and biochemical factors under host genetic control can affect aspects of infection such as viral attachment to cell components, entry into host cells, and viral reproduction.