Emerging diseases are infections that have increased recently or are threatening to increase in the near future. These infections could be
newly discovered (like the sometimes deadly
Bourbon virus that was identified in 2014 in Bourbon County, Kansas).
completely new to an area (like
Zika virus in the Western Hemisphere).
reappearing in an area (like
dengue in south Florida, Texas, and Hawaii).
caused by bacteria that have become
resistant to antibiotics, like the so-called “nightmare bacteria”
CRE (carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae).
Zoonotic means infectious diseases spread between animals, insects, ticks, and people. Examples include
Lyme disease (spread by ticks)
Salmonella infections (spread by poultry and other animals)
rabies (spread by mammals)
Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by germs (such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi) that enter the body, multiply, and cause an infection.
Some infectious diseases are contagious, that is, spread from one person to another.
Other infectious diseases can be spread by germs carried in air, water, food, or soil. They can also be spread by insects, ticks, or animals.
