Ewald Paul W
Department of Biology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2004 Mar;18(1):1-15. doi: 10.1016/S0891-5520(03)00099-0.
At the close of the 19th century, the germ theory had generated a new understanding of the causes of acute infectious diseases and revealed new directions for study. This understanding contributed to the greatest improvements in health in the history of medicine. At the end of the 20th century, the second stage of this disciplinary development is occurring. The old germ theory is being expanded into a new germ theory, which, by integrated the full spectrum of biologic disciplines. This new germ theory is emphasizing how environments and human activities influence the characteristics of infectious agents and the broader role of infection as a cause of chronic diseases.
19世纪末,病菌学说带来了对急性传染病病因的全新认识,并揭示了新的研究方向。这一认识推动了医学史上最大的健康改善。20世纪末,该学科发展的第二阶段正在发生。旧的病菌学说正在扩展为一种新的病菌学说,它整合了所有生物学科。这种新的病菌学说强调环境和人类活动如何影响传染源的特性,以及感染作为慢性病病因的更广泛作用。