The bidirectional double burden of non-communicable diseases and infections

When Infection and Chronic Disease Feed Each Other: Understanding the Double Burden

Infections and chronic diseases can reinforce one another. Human papillomavirus contributes to cervical cancer, hepatitis viruses to liver cancer, and diabetes increases vulnerability to tuberculosis; tuberculosis can, in turn, disturb glucose regulation. Persistent inflammation, altered immune responses and unequal access to healthcare deepen these interactions. The consequences extend beyond individual diagnoses to multimorbidity, household expenditure and overstretched services. Integrated primary care, coordinated screening and longitudinal surveillance are needed to recognise linked risks earlier and manage infectious and non-communicable conditions together.