Dr. John Carvalho's Mini-Review Of "Introduction To Global Health" By Kathryn H. Jacobsen:  I wanted to take a few moments to endorse the "Introduction to Global Health" textbook by Kathryn H. Jacobsen.  Jacobsen has been a global health expert for many years.  The chapters in her introductory book are perfect for beginning undergraduate or graduate students in the field of global health.  She covers a wide array of topics including the kinds of statistics used, the infectious disease causing organisms around the world, nutrition deficiencies, economics and health financing, and the status of national disease burden.  Jacobsen's book is reminiscent of my various virology courses that I have taught at both Harvard University and California State University, Dominguez Hills (Medical and Molecular Virology: Virus Diseases and World Health; Virology; Advanced Virology).  I applaud her for linking the ideas of how poverty exacerbates and feeds off of infectious diseases/national health and how education also plays a critical role.  These concepts have been talked about in my own scholarly writings and have been taught in my courses.  Similarly, I acknowledge her excellent chapters on the Millennium Development Goals, the UNHCR, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  These ideas are inseparable from virology on the global level and are critical for understanding public health and truly gauging "outcomes" of public health policy.  In conclusion, Jacobsen's book is a MUST READ for any beginning global health student.

Help Donate To Typhoon Victims Relief Effort

The problems of climate change are real, as is evidenced by the recent typhoon in the Philippines.  To donate to the relief effort, please go to the attached link.  Doctors Without Boarders has been a stalwart, Nobel Peace Prize winning organization on the front lines of world crises.https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/donate/truenorth/onetime_philippines.cfm?source=AZD131101D01&q=general_C_US_Haiyan&source=AZD131101D01&gclid=CIbFwpWc4LoCFe1xQgodcwsAgw&mpch=ads

Mosquito That Carries Dengue Virus And Yellow Fever Virus Discovered In California

I teach Virology and Advanced Virology courses at the University and I found this news article interesting.  The mosquito that carries various viruses including Dengue virus and Yellow Fever virus has been discovered in California.  Presently, we have a vaccine for Yellow Fever (17D), but none for Dengue virus.  http://www.ibtimes.com/yellow-fever-mosquito-aedes-aegypti-found-california-very-difficult-control-1433136

The 2013 Nobel Prizes are now being announced.  Congratulations to all of the Nobel winners.http://www.cbc.ca/news2/interactives/nobel-2013/

UNITED NATIONS Report On The Status Of The Millennium Development Goals For 2013

As stated earlier in my previous posts, I would keep my readers up to date on where the millennium development goals presently stand around the world.  Some of my philosophical and scientific work has direct relation to these goals.  Here is the latest report by the United Nations on where these goals stand.  Please also consult economist Jeffrey Sachs' book entitled "The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities of Our Time" and Nobelist Amartya Sen's work "Development as Freedom" and The United Nations "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" for background reading to this topic.http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/report-2013/mdg-report-2013-english.pdf

California Association For Medical Laboratory Scientists Posts Carvalho's Views On Shortage Of Trained Clinical Microbiologists

Special thanks to The California Association For Medical Laboratory Scientists for posting our articles on the shortage of trained clinical microbiologists in the state of California.  We will be monitoring the status of the profession over the next year to see how the California State Legislature and area universities and hospitals address the issues concerning the profession.

Revisiting The Millennium Development Goals Years Later

A number of years ago, I published papers revealing how biologists could engage the wider global health community.  This year, I would like to explore the status of the millennium development goals in light of the global economic crisis.  During the year, I will post articles and information by the United Nations, global health experts, and economists revealing their opinions on where these millennium development goals stand at this time.  The year 2015 was considered a big year for the world community with respect to global healthcare and the eradication of abject poverty.