Many factors work together to create the perfect conditions for the “Next Big One” to occur and result in a worldwide pandemic. While the list of factors is wide, two environmental factors that are most likely to influence the occurrence of the NBO are pollution of air and water which play a big role, especially in point source outbreaks. Contamination of air and water may also provide favorable conditions for widespread transmission. The other environmental factor is food contamination caused by human or zoonotic transmission. Two specifically human factors include cultural practices, travel, and many other societal norms. Social-economic status which influences an individual’s education, nutritional status, housing conditions, etc. is the second human factor that influences the occurrence of the NBO. All these factors work together and intertwine to create favorable conditions to determine when, where and how the “Next Big One” will occur in the human population. …show more content…
While polluted air often includes industry fumes, dust particles, etc. it also causes droplet spread from sick people to other susceptible individuals in the community. Airborne transmission can also be very easily carried from one community to the other when humans travel. In the book, Quammen cites SARS virus as an example to highlight the severity of airborne transmission and how the SARS virus traveled across borders due to travel. Oral-fecal transmission can occur through water contamination often seen at rainy refugee camps where people live in high densities and poor sanitary conditions. Transmission through air and water are factors that can contribute to a disease becoming widespread very easily and in a very short period of time because everyone needs to breathe and drink