Worldwide, infectious diseases are the leading cause of premature mortality. In Canada, they are the fifth leading cause of premature loss of life and a major cause of lost productivity.
Despite outstanding historical successes with the development of effective vaccines for smallpox, polio, diphtheria, tetanus and other diseases, the war against infectious disease is far from over. Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, drug resistant malaria, HIV/AIDS, and diarrheal disease account for approximately 7.5 million premature deaths per year worldwide. In addition, recent outbreaks of Avian Flu, SARS, West Nile Virus, and other emerging diseases have made it clear that we must prepare for new threats.
The Division of Infectious Diseases in the UBC Department of Medicine is actively involved in combating infectious diseases through patient care, education, and research. We are part of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia and work through Vancouver General and UBC Hospitals, St. Paul’s Hospital, BC Children’s & Women’s Hospital, G.F. Strong Hospital, the BC Cancer Agency and the BC Centre for Disease Control.
We are a committed group of clinicians, educators and researchers focused on finding new treatments, providing state-of-the-art care for patients, and training the next generation of infectious diseases practitioners. Our collective aim is to decrease the burden of infectious diseases in British Columbia and around the world.
History of infectious diseases in BC
Read about our history here!