The answer to this frequently asked question is addressed in this review article, which
focuses on common respiratory tract infections that are spread from person to person. The�…

Bacterial pathogens have been identified as agents that have been, or could be, used as
weapons of biological warfare and/or biological terrorism. These agents are relatively easily�…

Since ancient times, the abrupt appearance and spread of maladies has demanded and
defied explanation by mankind. In 400 bc, Hippocrates suggested that the environment�…

The sudden emergence and rapid global spread of a novel H INI influenza virus in early
2009 [1] has caused confusion about the meaning of the word" pandemic" and how to�…

Abstract" Emerging" infectious diseases can be defined as infections that have newly
appeared in a population or have existed but are rapidly increasing in incidence or�…

Background Institutional transmission of airborne infections such as tuberculosis (TB) is an
important public health problem, especially in resource-limited settings where protective�…

What does it mean to describe an infection as airborne and what are the clinical
implacations? The concept of the air we breathe as a reservoir for disease-causing agents�…

On first setting foot on the moon, Neil Armstrong famously proclaimed that he had taken
“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” With minor adjustments, he could have�…

Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize| A New York Times Editor's Choice “[A]
grounded, bracingly intelligent study”—Nature Prizewinning science journalist Sonia Shah�…

The terms endemic, outbreak, epidemic, and pandemic are often used to describe infections,
although conditions such as hypertension, cancer, violence, or even positive, beneficial�…