Economics of Infectious Diseases

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Abstract
Infectious diseases remain a central preoccupation in many countries. This article sets out the economic issues that arise in this highly complex domain. It reviews four main strands of literature on the economics of infectious diseases. It discusses the economic impact of infectious diseases on labor productivity and investment decisions. It focuses on the interplay between disease prevention and treatment and individual risk-taking behavior. It discusses vaccination as an important tool in the prevention of infectious diseases and presents a classic public goods problem. Disease reporting and eradication efforts are also global public goods. A fourth strand of literature is on the optimal design and allocation of resources for prevention and treatment programs. These programs are based on epidemiological models of disease spread that present significant mathematical challenges.

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