Introduction
- Diseases named after geographical locations (toponymous diseases) can lead to misinformation, stigma, and racial prejudice.
- Examples: Spanish flu, Delhi boil, Madura foot, West Nile Virus.
Relevance : GS 2(Health)
Historical Example: Spanish Flu Misnomer
- The 1918-1920 influenza pandemic was called Spanish flu, despite not originating in Spain.
- Reason: Spain, being neutral in World War I, had a free press that reported on the disease openly, unlike countries involved in the war.
- Impact: 500 million people affected, 20+ million deaths, yet the name wrongly associated the disease with Spain.
WHO’s Intervention in Disease Naming (2015 Onwards)
- WHO mandated scientific names instead of geographical references.
- Example:
- Zika Virus: Originally named after the Zika forest (Uganda), causing Congenital Zika Syndrome.
- Monkeypox → Mpox: Renamed due to racist and stigmatizing language.
The Trichophyton Indotineae Controversy
- A new fungal species causing severe, drug-resistant ringworm infections was named Trichophyton indotineae.
- Objections:
- Indian & international dermatologists (from 14 countries) opposed it.
- Named by Japanese researchers based on cases found in India and Nepal, though origin is still unknown.
- Pejorative connotations and violates WHO’s naming guidelines.
- The fungus has spread to 40+ countries, proving its non-localized nature.
- Impact:
- Inaccurate name blames a region without scientific basis.
- Hinders global cooperation in medical research.
WHO’s Guidelines & Renaming Practices
- WHO renames diseases to avoid controversy and correct unethical attributions.
- Example:
- Reiter’s Syndrome → Reactive Arthritis (due to its namesake’s Nazi affiliations).
- WHO’s disease naming considerations:
- Scientific appropriateness
- Pronounceability across languages
- Avoiding geographic/zoological references
- Historical retrievability
Need for Responsible Disease Naming
- Naming should aid scientific progress, not politicize diseases.
- Microbes do not respect borders, but stigmatization divides people.
- Unified, scientific naming fosters global cooperation in disease prevention and treatment.
