Different Prevalence of Chronic-Non-Infectious Diseases

Inflammatory bowel disease, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, tumours, are examplesof chronic degenerative diseases that have a high prevalence in developed nations. these chronic-non-communicablediseases have multifactorial aetiologies that considered to be caused by the interaction of environmental risk factors withmultiple predisposing genes. genetic researches on these diseases have traditionally focused on investigation aimed atidentifying disease-susceptibility genes. recent evidence suggests that somatically acquired dna mutations may alsocontribute significantly to the pathogenesis of these disease states such as coronary artery disease indicating a similarity betweenthe atherosclerotic and carcinogenic processes. the high incidences and prevalence of these chronic diseases in the western world in comparison with the east and changing trends in disease incidence (seen in many countries) providestrong evidence that those environmental factors as playing a major influence in disease- expression. there is an amplereason to believe that environmental factors have contributed to inducing alterations in genetic code in precedentgenerations, which were subsequently inherited and further modified by modern life style activities. consequently, we now see the appearance of chronic degenerative diseases and their higher incidences in the western nations as compared withthe eastern ones.