In the past century, there has been a decline in the number of deaths caused by infectious diseases in well-developed countries.

It is generally because of the advanced disease prevention and treatment we have had under the gradual improvements financially and medically on the public health care system in well-developed countries. For prevention, first of all, more citizens have been being educated to have balanced diet, do more regular exercise, have more rest and do not smoke or drink too much alcohol, so as to build up body resistance to infectious diseases. Secondly, the government in well-developed countries has long advised citizens to mind their personal hygiene, for instances, to keep hands clean and wash hands properly, and cover nose when sneezing or coughing. The increasing level of personal hygiene prevent viruses from entering the body which lower the chances of having infectious diseases, and hence deaths in well-developed countries. Thirdly, in well-developed countries with higher civilization, less people spilt, and more people use serving chopsticks and spoons at meal times. Also people often put on mask when symptoms of respiratory tract infection develop, and refrain from work or school when sick. All these preventive measures disable the spread of viruses from one to another in the community. Besides food is allowed to store in a better proper environment like refrigerators in well-developed countries so as to reduce the bacterial growth which may cause acute diarrhoeal diseases, for example, a kind of infectious disease. There are usually proper sewage treatment and clean water storage tanks in well-developed countries. Unlicensed food stall and unclean food premises are strictly forbidden as well. Hence there has been a decline in the number of deaths caused by infectious diseases due to the raised level of food hygiene citizens possess. In well-developed countries, common facilities such as staircases, lifts, lobbies, refuse collection chambers, canopies and ventilation fans are cleaned and disinfected frequently. Accumulation of stagnant water is prevented. Insecticides are regularly sprayed into drain outlets of sewage pipes. Bacteria could hardly grow in such a clean environment and develop infectious diseases. Thus a cleaner living environment contributes to the decline in the number of deaths caused by infectious diseases. More importantly, with the advanced medical improvements, vaccination has been helping millions of people staying away from many infectious diseases, such as rubella and measles. Vaccination is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. In many well-developed countries, comprehensive immunization has been implemented to provide a number of vaccinations for all children at different times to protect against various diseases. However, once infected with diseases, we have been having antibiotics for treatment in well-developed countries in the past century. Antibiotics are microbially produced substances that inhibit the growth of or kill other microorganisms, such as bacteria

and fungi, but not virus. Antibiotics inhibit protein synthesis, cell wall synthesis, and attack cell membrane, so that the patient can soon be recovered from illnesses. In the coming years, challenges will be faced by the medical and health profession regarding the control of infectious diseases. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics results in antibiotic resistance. Besides resistance can spread from one bacterium to another as antibiotic producers are microorganisms. These organisms develop resistance mechanisms to neutralize or destroy its own antibiotic in order to survive, which make the antibiotics ineffective in treatment. Moreover spontaneous, random mutation can occur at any time. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics increases mutation rate. By chance, a resistant individual is generated. It has a selective advantage over non-resistant individuals. It will multiply and eventually become dominant. Hence the control of infectious diseases is becoming harder and harder with the use of antibiotics. To conclude, the reasons contributing to the decline in the number of deaths caused by infectious diseases are the stronger body resistance, increasing levels of personal, food and environmental hygiene, and also the medical advancement. However we should never leave our pace slow on medical fields because we are facing challenges as well. We are all under the transfer of antibiotic resistance as well with the mutation of diseases. More efforts have to be put on in competitions with the development of all the infectious diseases.