Evolution and Origins of Disease and Darwinian Medicine - Essay Example

Evolution and Origin of Diseases: Darwinian Medicine Darwin medicine plays a critical role in the understanding of diseases and their subsequent treatment. Many diseases are caused by pathogens and a better understanding of microorganism will be important to treating diseases. Darwin medicine is a continuation of Darwin theory of evolution, which explained how organisms adapted to the environment to ensure their survival (Nesse & George 36). The study on diseases evolution is a continuation of the Darwin evolution of adaptation in which organisms had to adapt to the environment to ensure their survival. Likewise, an understanding of evolution of causes of diseases ensures effective understanding of the necessary treatment. Darwin’s medicine argues that antibiotics evolve to resist the effectiveness of already existing treatments to the diseases. This therefore necessitates an understanding of Darwin’s medicine in the study of medicine and health. Failure by physicians to understand evolutionary medicine causes some diseases deadly (Nesse &George 38). Approaching treatment from an understanding of evolutionary biology minimizes the impact of the deadly losses. Because the pathogens that cause diseases evolve, there is need to continually conduct research to discover the new treatment in that circumstances. The evolution of these pathogens makes there antibiotics ineffective and cannot be use as a cure (Nesse & George 39). Since microorganisms become resistant to treatment and gets riskier because of improper management, accompanied with the idea that most diseases are caused by unrecognized pathogens, medics need to have a clear grip and understanding of evolutionary biology. Moreover, mutation causes viruses to evolve and become resistant to their current treatment. Human beings are also in constant competition with other organisms making which includes bacteria and viruses that work to enhance their fitness at our expenses (Nesse & George 40). The relationship of the human beings and these organisms are parasitic making their improvements deteriorate the health of human beings. Evolutionary biology should thus become mandatory in the study if medicine and biology as this will reduce the risk of deaths caused by resistance from the pathogens. Central to the study of evolutionary medicine is the need to determine the impact of the diseases and traits on reproduction (Nesse & George 41). Evolutionary explanations can be categorized into evolved defenses, novel environments, conflicts with other organisms, tradeoffs and design flaws. Evolved defenses are the body ailments that evolve and are brought about by natural selection. The physiological mechanisms associated with the unpleasant experiences will make the body develop its own self-defense (Nesse & George 42). The evolve defenses that causes pain and therefore steers one away from activities that are dangerous to the body. Conflicts with other organisms are also important in the understanding of Darwin’s medicine. There are some organisms whose interaction with do not consider our interests. These are referred to as pathogens and even if our bodies evolve defenses against them, it cannot provide 100% protection against all. This is attributed to the fact that pathogens have their own evolution, which is much faster than those of our bodies are. Bacteria with genes that ensure their prosperous despite antibiotics spread rapidly and render the administration of these antibiotics ineffectual. These are perfect examples of natural selection of our bodies. In addition, coping with novelty assist in explaining most ailments that face threat to human health. It asserts that all adaptations are because of changes in the environment i.e. what is harmful in one environment may be beneficial in another environment. Anthropologists contend that threats to human health have changes significantly (Nesse & George 42). In the past for instance, accidents, predation, infectious diseases, and starvation were the major causes of death. Currently, threats to life include heart attacks, cancer, strokes, and health problems caused with obesity. This reflects the way the treatment that is administered has to evolve to accommodate and match the changing factors in human health (Nesse & George 43). Human environment therefore contribute immensely to the quality of life and the way treatments have to change. Notwithstanding tradeoffs is also important in the understanding of evolutionary medicine. Since our bodies have experienced many changes in the evolutionary changes, compromises were selected to improve our productivity and lower the costs (Nesse & George 44). For instance, upright posture ensures faster running, and better handling of tools. As a trade off, it increases suffering from back pain for the greater efficiency. Sickle cell anemia trait is a typical example of a biological trade off. Individuals with sickle cell genes suffer horrible pain, die young, and have defective blood cells. Unsickled cell individuals genes face high chances of dying from malaria. Individuals with each of the genes enjoy and are protected from malaria and at the same time are protected from serious risks of sickle cell anemia (Nesse & George 45). Sickle cell anemia has evolved and become more complex and is still present in the population and continues to pose a threat on human health. The trait is still important in the reduction of malaria prevalence and must. However, individuals with sickle cell anemia have low reproduction because of the pain that hinders and affects the reproduction cells (Nesse & George 53). Individuals with sickle cell trait are still present in the population despite the fact that it has various negative impacts on the population. The continued prevalence of sickle cell traits is attributed to the failure to discover its treatment and the fact that it is genetically transmitted (Nesse & George 45). It therefore implies that the only way of eradicating the trait must be through altering the genitival set up of individuals. Lastly, nature conveys an impression that organisms become perfect by natural selection for their life. However, a critical observation would reveal that everything is not perfect and that organisms are the sometimes products if chances, history, natural selection and constraints. This therefore means that organisms will be well adapted in some respects but face compromising situations in other aspects (Nesse & George 63). The understanding of this classification will enable evolutionary medicine get better understanding of individuals and thus assist in the developing of effective treatments, An understanding of evolution, will enable us comprehend diseases and most importantly learn of the way to fight such diseases. This paper therefore dissects Darwin’s medicine and gives examples of some pathogens that have evolved making them resist their current treatments. In addition, the paper has discussed the need and importance of an understanding of evolutionary biology in the quest to improve the effectiveness of treatments. Fascinatingly, fever raises the body temperature for a particular purpose. The rise in temperature of the body interferes with the well being of some pathogens hence killing them. It implies that by taking medicine that reduces fever, the life of some of these pathogens will be prolonged which will deteriorate the body condition. In some instances, taking medicine to suppress sneezing or coughs prolongs illness. Treatments of symptoms require a distinction between those that are defensive and those that are not. Rabies virus forces dogs to bite other animals and therefore spread it. Coughing and sneezing helps to expel pathogens. Bacteria can evolve in a day whereas human beings evolve in thousands of years. This makes us more vulnerable because of the prolific changes that require continuous and progressive research. We are therefore in an everlasting fight with bacteria because of the rate and speed in which they evolve. For instance, TB that disappeared forty years ago after the discovery of its antibiotics but has now comes back in a more complex form that can no longer be treated with the old antibiotics (Nesse & George 71). Treating the new form of TB would require chemical mimetic that involves the synthesis of similar compounds to cure the new stain. Because of the evolution of bacteria, it is important to have knowledge on evolution to help in handling and making treatments most effective. A failure to understand the evolution of diseases and bacteria will increase the vulnerability of the body. The prevalence of TB is still on arise despite the tremendous achievements in the research conducted with the aim of coming up with solution. TB has no positive impact on any individual’s life. It deteriorates the body immune system specifically the respiratory system hence claiming large number of lives. Individuals with TB will remain present because of the high rate at which it mutates and evolve to bring about new traits that require completely different treatment. On the side of reproduction, TB lowers reproduction hence slowing down the rate of population growth. Colossal expenditure is allocated and will continue to be invested in research. Another disease that has undergone evolution is cancer. Cancerous cells have mutated and become a serious menace that has resulted in several loss of lives. The production of cells is important to the body and it ensures that diseases and body attacks are fought. However, cancerous cells cause pain and causes blood problems for the victims. Breast cancer for instance has become a major threat on the health of women and impaired their productivity. The treatment of these cells makes lowers the productivity of women as some of the reproductive cells are removed to limit their spread. In as much as evolutionary medicine aims arriving at new treatment to the cancer cells, the rate at which they mutate has posed difficulties and become a challenge. If the adaptation of the body towards the changes was to be perfect, then we could expect the body to produce counter cells that would fight the dangerous diseases. Moreover, the cells are able to mutate in a manner that makes the present cure ineffective hence making the treatment difficult (Nesse & George 85). Cancer is still, its threat has become higher because of the changes in the lifestyle, and the increased amounts of chemicals consumed. There are no positive or advantages of this trait on human health. However, the trait results into death and utilization of resources on research. In conclusion, evolutionary medicine plays an important role in understanding diseases and the manner in which the changes affect their treatment. Besides, through evolutionary biology, medics are in a better position of explaining occurrence of diseases and their subsequent mutation making evolutionary medicine important area of study. Darwinian medicine should therefore be supported in its theoretical sense and in gaining understanding of the problems that confront the study of medicine. Work Cited Nesse, Randolph M., and George C. Williams. Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medicine. New York: Times Books, 1994. Print. Read More