Final answer:
Acanthamebiasis is an emerging/reemerging infectious disease in the field of Biology.
Step-by-step explanation:
Acanthamebiasis is a group of emerging/reemerging infectious diseases in the field of Biology. Acanthamoeba, a genus of free-living protozoan amoebae, can cause infections in the eyes, skin, and nervous system. The disease is considered emerging/reemerging because it has either appeared in a population for the first time or is rapidly increasing in incidence or geographic range. Acanthamebiasis is categorized as a group of emerging or reemerging infectious diseases. These diseases are defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as illnesses that have recently increased in incidence or geographic range, or that are appearing in a population for the first time. Acanthamoeba, the amoeba responsible for acanthamebiasis, occurs in unchlorinated fresh water and can cause infections in various parts of the body, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Conditions such as Acanthamoeba keratitis, involving the eyes, and granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE), affecting the nervous system, underscore the pathogenic potential of this organism. Emerging diseases like acanthamebiasis pose significant challenges to public health due to factors like environmental changes, host susceptibility, and pathogen adaptation. Approximately 75 percent of such diseases are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted from animals to humans. The phenomenon of emerging and reemerging diseases underscores the intricate relationship between pathogen, host, and environment.