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DESCRIBE HOW THIS DISEASE IS AN EPIDEMIC AND ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETY.

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View CNN's West Nile Virus Fast Facts for symptoms and statistics about the disease spread by infected mosquitoes.

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Ebola Map | Virus & Contagious Disease Surveillance

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"Nigeria has cleared all patients under surveillance for the Ebola virus, the federal health ministry said on Wednesday. 'There is nobody again under surveillance for the Ebola virus in any part of Nigeria. All those under surveillance have completed their mandatory 21-day period stipulated by the WHO,' ministry's spokesman Dan Nwomeh told AFP, referring to the World Health Organization.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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A Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report Prepared by the Influenza Division

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We live in a unique time in human history. For a start there are so many of us. At the end of 2012 we hit 7 billion and just keep adding more, with one birth every 8 seconds. To put this into perspective. I was born in 1974 and was the 3,972,326,007th person alive at that time*. By the time my 50th birthday rolls around in 2024 there will be 8 billion people. The world's population will have doubled during my lifetime.

Another way the present is so unique is where we live. For the first time in human history more than half of us live in cities.

And finally, if you live in America you spend over 90% of you life indoors! Likely the same in most other developed countries.

These are unique times!

It wasn't always like this of course. We evolved on the plains of Africa, spread across the colder regions of the world where we lived in caves and began to settle down into small communities 10,000 years ago as we developed agriculture and eventually cities between 5-3,000 years ago. As we change the way we live we also change the ways diseases are spread.

We have always had infectious diseases of course, and we know the types from different lines of evidence. We can examine worms in fossilised faeces from 12,00 year old cave dwellings in North America, deduce the tell-tale signs of TB infection in the bones of Egyptian pharaohs or read the written records by Thucydides of smallpox-like infections that ravaged the Athenian army during the Peloponnesian war in 431 BC. But, because this modern age really is special then in some cases we have created truly unique ways for diseases to spread. We are just now collecting the evidence and finding some impressive surprises. Such a case is the SARS epidemic of 2003.

SARS is a virus in the same group as the common cold (the Cornonvirues). Unlike the common cold it kills 10% of the people it infects and in 2003 spread across 30 countries and regions infecting 8,273 people killing 775 people. It began in Guangdong province on mainland China, likely coming from food markets where people trade wild animals such as Civets and bats-which they eat. That is not novel as 60% of human disease come from the animals we eat. What is novel is what happened next.

In Hong Kong the disease arrived with a traveller from the mainland. Cases began being reported from Amoy Gardens, a massive 33 story housing complex with 19,000 inhabitants. In total 329 residents became infected with 42 deaths. Importantly, only 4% were infected from direct contact with another infected person. How then did it spread?

In a stunning investigation by the Hong Dept of Health collaborating with eight governmental agencies the truth emerged. The index case was a 33 year old man with end stage kidney disease who came from Shenzhen, China to Hong Kong for treatment. He stayed with his brother in Amoy Gardens for a few days before leaving again. When people started becoming sick it was clear there was a strong spatial component. The Amoy Gardens has 19 blocks and 49% of cases where in block E with the majority of the remaining cases in nearby blocks. Although the index cases stayed in Block E he did not interact directly with other people. They did however share a sewage system. One important feature of the Amoy Gardens infection was severe watery diarrhoea with 73% of cases having this unpleasant symptom an average of 3.9 times/day.

The way many 1980's buildings in Hong Kong were constructed was with a vertical shaft where all waste from the 30-50 floors would pass down a single tube. This was the case in Amoy Gardens. Also, in each bathroom there was a floor drain that linked the air in the bathroom to the same vertical shaft. The virus was able to pass from the vertical shaft with SARS infected diarrhea to bathrooms of other apartments. This happened not passively but when occupants closed the bathroom door and turned on the extraction fan thereby creating a negative pressure sucking the virus into homes. The floor drain should have had a water trap. This is a small reservoir of water in the pipes that would have acted as a barrier preventing viral particles entering the bathroom. Unfortunately, because the buildings are so high there is massive pressure in the pipes which literally blew the water traps away allowing the virus to travel to the bathrooms and then to human lungs. Technical plumbing details to be sure, but vital clues in the investigation.

SARS is a sobering lesson of the very unexpected ways our modern cities can drive disease transmission. At no time in human history have we lived in apartment buildings with 19,000 residents and shared air and sewage supplies with them. While the costs of the epidemic was high it could have been much worse. What we need to do now is learn the lessons of that event and design better spaces where, for better or worse, we have decided to spend so much of our time.

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We live in a unique time in human history. For a start there are so many of us. At the end of 2012 we hit 7 billion and just keep adding more, with one birth every 8 seconds. To put this into perspective. I was born in 1974 and was the 3,972,326,007th person alive at that time*.

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The debate about mandated vaccinations has the political world talking. A spike in measles cases nationwide has President Obama, lawmakers and even potential 2016 candidates weighing in on the vaccine controversy.

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The debate about mandated vaccinations has the political world talking. A spike in measles cases nationwide has President Obama, lawmakers and even potential 2016 candidates weighing in on the vaccine controversy.

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Disneyland Measles Outbreak Spreads To 27 States | NBC Nightly News

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What Is HIV?

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the immune system. The immune system is the body's germ fighting system. The immune system becomes weaker, making it harder for the body to fight off infections and some kinds of cancers.

Most people who get treatment early and take medicines for HIV can live long, healthy lives.

What Is AIDS?

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) happens after someone has had HIV for many years. In AIDS, the immune system is severely weakened. Serious infections and health problems happen.

Medicines can help prevent HIV from developing into AIDS.

How Do People Get HIV?

Most young children who have HIV got it before they were born or shortly after birth.

Older people can get HIV through:

sex

sharing needles for injecting drugs or tattooing

getting stuck with a needle with an infected person's blood on it

HIV is NOT spread through:

pee, poop, spit, throw-up, or sweat (as long as there's no blood)

coughing or sneezing

holding hands

sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of HIV and AIDS?

When first infected with HIV, a person may have a fever, swollen glands, a rash, muscle aches, and other problems.

After a few years, other symptoms start, like diarrhea, weight loss, and problems with infections.

Without treatment, HIV can lead to a very weakened immune system and become AIDS.

What Causes HIV and AIDS?

HIV destroys CD4 cells (also called T cells). CD4 cells are part of the immune system. They fight germs and help prevent some kinds of cancers.

What Do Doctors Do?

Health care providers usually can tell if someone has HIV through blood tests. People who do are said to be "HIV positive."

If the immune system becomes very weak, someone is said to have AIDS.

How Are HIV and AIDS Treated?

Medicines can help people with HIV stay healthy. They can also prevent HIV from becoming AIDS. People with HIV and AIDS usually need to take a few different medicines. The medicines must be taken exactly as prescribed or they won't work.

These medicines:

help keep the number of CD4 cells high

lower the viral load of HIV (how much HIV is in the body)

Regular blood tests will check to see how well the medicines are working.

Looking Ahead

By taking medicines and getting regular medical care, HIV-positive people can live long and healthy lives.

People with HIV need a medical care team for the best treatment and support. If you or someone you know has HIV or AIDS it is important to:

go to all doctor visits

take all medicines exactly as directed

go for all follow-up blood tests

understand what HIV/AIDS is and how it spreads

be physically active, get enough sleep, and eat well

Date reviewed: October 2018

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HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the immune system. The immune system is the body's germ fighting system. The immune system becomes weaker, making it harder for the body to fight off infections and some kinds of cancers. Most people who get treatment early and take medicines for HIV can live long, healthy lives.

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"Swine flu" was the popular name for the virus which was responsible for a global flu outbreak (called a pandemic) in 2009 to 2010. It's a type of seasonal flu and is now included in the annual flu vaccine.
The scientific name for swine flu is A/H1N1pdm09. It's often shortened to "H1N1".

"Swine flu" pandemic 2009 to 2010

The virus was first identified in Mexico in April 2009. It became known as swine flu because it's similar to flu viruses that affect pigs.

It spread rapidly from country to country because it was a new type of flu virus that few young people were immune to.

Overall, the outbreak was not as serious as originally predicted, largely because many older people were already immune to it. Most cases in the UK were relatively mild, although there were some serious cases.

The relatively small number of cases that led to serious illness or death were mostly in children and young adults - particularly those with underlying health problems - and pregnant women.

On 10 August 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the pandemic officially over.

"Swine flu" now

The A/H1N1pdm09 virus is now one of the seasonal flu viruses that circulate each winter. If you've had flu in the last few years, there's a chance it was caused by this virus.

As many people now have some level of immunity to the A/H1N1pdm09 virus, it's much less of a concern than it was during 2009 to 2010.

The symptoms are the same as other types of common flu. They're usually mild and pass within 1 to 2 weeks. But as with all types of flu, some people are at higher risk of serious illness, particularly those with underlying health problems.

The regular flu jab will usually protect people who are at a higher risk of becoming severely ill. A vaccine programme for children has also been introduced, which aims to protect children and reduce their ability to infect others.

Find out more about:
seasonal flu the annual flu vaccine the flu vaccine for children

Page last reviewed: 02 September 2019
Next review due: 02 September 2022

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"Swine flu" was the popular name for the virus which was responsible for a global flu outbreak (called a pandemic) in 2009 to 2010. It's a type of seasonal flu and is now included in the annual flu vaccine. The scientific name for swine flu is A/H1N1pdm09. It's often shortened to "H1N1".

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SANA, Yemen - After two and a half years of war, little is functioning in Yemen.

Repeated bombings have crippled bridges, hospitals and factories. Many doctors and civil servants have gone unpaid for more than a year. Malnutrition and poor sanitation have made the Middle Eastern country vulnerable to diseases that most of the world has confined to the history books.

In just three months, cholera has killed nearly 2,000 people and infected more than a half million, one of the world's largest outbreaks in the past 50 years.

"It's a slow death," said Yakoub al-Jayefi, a Yemeni soldier who has not collected a salary in eight months, and whose 6-year-old daughter, Shaima, was being treated for malnutrition at a clinic in the Yemeni capital, Sana.

Since the family's savings ran out, they had lived mostly off milk and yogurt from neighbors. But that was not enough to keep his daughter healthy, and her skin went pale as she grew thin.

Like more than half of Yemenis, the family did not have immediate access to a working medical center, so Mr. Jayefi borrowed money from friends and relatives to take his daughter to the capital.

"We're just waiting for doom or for a breakthrough from heaven," he said.

How did a country in a region with such great wealth fall so far and so fast into crisis?

A Nation Split in Two

Yemen has long been the Arab world's poorest country and suffered from frequent local armed conflicts. The most recent trouble started in 2014, when the Houthis, rebels from the north, allied with parts of the Yemeni military and stormed the capital, forcing the internationally recognized government into exile.

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia and a coalition of Arab nations launched a military campaign aimed at pushing back the Houthis and restoring the government.

The campaign has so far failed to do so, and the country remains split between Houthi-controlled territory in the west and land controlled by the government and its Arab backers in the south and east.

A Collapsed State

Many coalition airstrikes have killed and wounded civilians, including strikes on Wednesday around the capital. The bombings have also heavily damaged Yemen's infrastructure, including a crucial seaport and important bridges as well as hospitals, sewage facilities and civilian factories.

Services that Yemenis have depended on are gone, and the destruction has undermined the country's already weak economy. It has also made it harder for humanitarian organizations to bring in and distribute aid.

The Saudi-led coalition has also kept Sana's international airport closed to civilian air traffic for more than a year, meaning that merchants cannot fly goods in, and sick and wounded Yemenis cannot fly abroad for treatment. Many of them have died.

Neither of Yemen's two competing administrations has paid regular salaries to many civil servants in over a year, impoverishing their families as there is little other work to be found. Among those affected are professionals whose work is essential to dealing with the crisis, like doctors, nurses and sewage system technicians, leading to the near collapse of their sectors.

The Devastation of Cholera

Damage from the war has turned Yemen into a fertile environment for cholera, a bacterial infection spread by water contaminated with feces. As garbage has piled up and sewage systems have failed, more Yemenis are relying on easily polluted wells for drinking water. Heavy rains since April accelerated the wells' contamination.

In developed countries, cholera is not life-threatening and can be easily treated, with antibiotics if severe. But in Yemen, rampant malnutrition has made many people, particularly children, especially vulnerable to the disease.

"With the malnutrition we have among children, if they get diarrhea, they are not going to get better," said Meritxell Relano, the United Nations Children's Fund representative in Yemen.

Outside a cholera clinic in Sana, Muhammad Nasir was waiting for news about his 6-month-old son, Waleed, who had the disease. A poor agricultural laborer, Mr. Nasir had borrowed money to take his son to the hospital but did not have enough to return home even if the baby recovered. "My situation is bad," he said.

Five tents had been erected in the backyard of the cholera ward to cope with the sudden increase in patients. All day, families brought sick relatives. Most were elderly, or children carried on their parents' backs.

If infection numbers continue to rise, researchers fear that the cases could ultimately rival the largest outbreak, in Haiti, which infected at least 750,000 people after a devastating earthquake in 2010.

Aid organizations say they cannot replace the services that the government is supposed to provide. That means there is little chance for significant improvements unless the war ends.

"We are almost in the third year of the war and nothing is getting better," said Ms. Relano of Unicef. "There are limits to what we can do in such a collapsed state."

The United Nations has called the situation the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with more than 10 million people who require immediate assistance. And the situation could become even worse.

Peter Salama, the executive director of the World Health Organization's health emergencies program, warned that as the state fails, "the manifestation of that now is cholera, but there could be in the future other epidemics that Yemen could be at the center of."

International Involvement

There appears to be no end in sight for the conflict. Peace talks brokered by the United Nations have stalled, and none of the warring parties have indicated much willingness to back down. The Houthis and their allies firmly control the capital, and Saudi leaders have said they will keep fighting until the other side gives in.

The United Nations says that Yemen needs $2.3 billion in humanitarian aid this year, but that only 41 percent of that amount has been received. The warring parties are among the greatest aid donors, with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates both giving significant sums. But critics note that the countries spend much more on the war effort and that their closing of Sana's airport has been devastating for civilians.

The United States is also a major donor, as well as a primary supplier of arms to the members of the Saudi-led coalition. Although the United States is not directly involved in the conflict, it has provided military support to the Saudi-led coalition, and Yemenis have often found the remnants of American-made munitions in the ruins left by deadly airstrikes.

None of this bodes well for civilians.

"The war still haunts us from all directions," said Saleh al-Khawlani, who fled his home in northern Yemen with his wife and six children after the Saudi-led coalition began its bombings. They then fled again, to Sana, after an airstrike hit the camp where they had sought shelter, and killed a number of his relatives.

They lived on the street for a while and had to beg for most of their food.

"Most of the time, we had only lunch and sometimes we don't," he said. "If we have lunch at noon, we don't have dinner at night."

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'It's a Slow Death': The World's Worst Humanitarian Crisis (Published 2017)

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SANA, Yemen - After two and a half years of war, little is functioning in Yemen. Repeated bombings have crippled bridges, hospitals and factories. Many doctors and civil servants have gone unpaid for more than a year. Malnutrition and poor sanitation have made the Middle Eastern country vulnerable to diseases that most of the world has confined to the history books.

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Can You Tell Me More About the Outbreaks of Meningitis on College Campuses? (VIDEO HAS BEEN UPDATED)

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Meningitis outbreak pops up on two U.S. college campuses

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The American Polio Epidemic--- a complete overview in minutes

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Smallpox is caused by the variola virus, which spreads through skin-to-skin contact or contact with bodily fluids. It can also be spread through the air.

In 430 B.C., smallpox killed more than 30,000 people in Athens, Greece, reducing the city's population by at least 20%.

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Deadly diseases: epidemics throughout history

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Smallpox is caused by the variola virus, which spreads through skin-to-skin contact or contact with bodily fluids. It can also be spread through the air. In 430 B.C., smallpox killed more than 30,000 people in Athens, Greece, reducing the city's population by at least 20%.

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Timeline: Worst Epidemics in U.S. History

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Timeline: Worst Epidemics in U.S. History

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An epidemic is by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a sudden increase in the number of cases of an infectious disease within a community or geographic area during a specific time period.

A spike in the number of cases of the same illness in an area beyond what health officials expect to see is an outbreak. The terms may be used interchangeably, though epidemics are often considered more widespread.

Over the years, many outbreaks of infectious diseases have occurred and spread across the United States.

Smallpox came to North America in the 1600s. Symptoms included high fever, chills, severe back pain, and rashes. It began in the Northeast and the Native American population was ravaged by it as it spread to the west.

In 1721, more than 6,000 cases were reported out of a Boston population of 11,000. Around 850 people died from the disease.

In 1770, Edward Jenner developed a vaccine from cow pox. It helps the body become immune to smallpox without causing the disease.

Now: After a large vaccination initiative in 1972, smallpox is gone from the United States. In fact, vaccines are no longer necessary.

One humid summer, refugees fleeing a yellow fever epidemic in the Caribbean Islands sailed into Philadelphia, carrying the virus with them.

Yellow fever causes yellowing of the skin, fever, and bloody vomiting. During the 1793 outbreak, it's estimated that the 10 percent of the city's population died and many others fled the city to avoid it.

A vaccine was developed and then licensed in 1953. One vaccine is enough for life. It's mostly recommended for those 9 months and older, especially if you live or travel to high risk areas.

You can find a list of countries where the vaccine is recommended for travel on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.

Now: Mosquitoes are key to how this disease spreads, particularly in areas such as Central America, South America, and Africa. Eliminating mosquitoes has been successful in controlling yellow fever.

While yellow fever has no cure, someone who does recover from the illness becomes immune for the rest of their life.

The United States had three serious waves of cholera, an infection of the intestines, between 1832 and 1866. The pandemic began in India and swiftly spread across the globe through trade routes.

New York City was the first U.S. city to feel the impact. Between 5 and 10 percent of the total population died in large cities.

It's unclear what ended the pandemic, but it may have been the change in climate or the use of quarantine measures. By the early 1900s, outbreaks had ended.

Immediate treatment is crucial because cholera can cause death. Treatment includes antibiotics, zinc supplementation, and rehydration.

Now: Cholera still causes nearly 95,000 deaths a year worldwide, according to the CDC. Modern sewage and water treatment have helped eradicate cholera in some countries, but the virus is still present elsewhere.

You can get a vaccine for cholera if you're planning to travel to high risk areas. The best way to prevent cholera is to wash your hands regularly with soap and water and avoid drinking contaminated water.

Scarlet fever is a bacterial infection that can occur after strep throat. Like cholera, scarlet fever epidemics came in waves.

Scarlet fever most commonly affects children ages 5 to 15. It's rare in children under 3. Adults who are in contact with sick children have an increased risk.

Older studies argue that scarlet fever declined due to improved nutrition, but research shows that improvements in public health were more likely the cause.

Now: There's no vaccine to prevent strep throat or scarlet fever. It's important for those with strep throat symptoms to seek treatment quickly. Your doctor will typically treat scarlet fever with antibiotics.

One of the biggest typhoid fever epidemics of all time broke out between 1906 and 1907 in New York.

Mary Mallon, often referred to as "Typhoid Mary," spread the virus to about 122 New Yorkers during her time as a cook on an estate and in a hospital unit.

About New Yorkers who contracted the virus by Mary Mallon died. The CDC a total of 13,160 deaths in 1906 and 12,670 deaths in 1907.

Medical testing showed that Mallon was a healthy carrier for typhoid fever. Typhoid fever can cause sickness and red spots to form on the chest and abdomen.

A vaccine was developed in 1911, and an antibiotic treatment for typhoid fever became available in 1948.

Now: Today typhoid fever is rare. But it can spread through direct contact with people who have the virus, as well as consumption of contaminated food or water.

H1N1 is a strain of flu that still circulates the globe annually.

In 1918, it was the type of flu behind the influenza pandemic, sometimes called the Spanish flu (though it didn't actually from come Spain).

After World War I, cases of the flu slowly declined. None of the suggestions provided at the time (wearing masks, drinking coal oil) were effective cures. Today's treatments include bed rest, fluids, and antiviral medications.

Now: Influenza strains mutate every year, making last year's vaccinations less effective. It's important to get your yearly vaccination to decrease your risk for the flu.

Diphtheria peaked in 1921, with 206,000 cases. It causes swelling of the mucous membranes, including in your throat, that can obstruct breathing and swallowing.

Sometimes a bacterial toxin can enter the bloodstream and cause fatal heart and nerve damage.

By the mid-1920s, researchers licensed a vaccine against the bacterial disease. Infection rates plummeted in the United States.

Now: Today more than of children in the United States are vaccinated, according to the CDC. Those who contract the disease are treated with antibiotics.

Polio is a viral disease that affects the nervous system, causing paralysis. It spreads through direct contact with people who have the infection.

Outbreaks occurred regularly in the United States through the 1950s, with two major polio outbreaks in 1916 and in 1952. Of the 57,628 reported cases in 1952, there were 3,145 deaths.

In 1955, Dr. Jonas Salk's vaccine was approved. It was quickly adopted throughout the world. By 1962, the average number of cases dropped to 910. The reports that the United States has been polio-free since 1979.

Now: Getting vaccinated is very important before traveling. There's no cure for polio. Treatment involves increasing comfort levels and preventing complications.

A major flu outbreak occurred again in 1957. The H2N2 virus, which originated in birds, was first reported in Singapore in February 1957, then in Hong Kong in April 1957.

It appeared in coastal cities in the United States in the summer of 1957.

The estimated number of deaths was 1.1 million worldwide and 116,000 in the United States.

This pandemic is considered to be mild because it was caught early. Scientists were able to develop a vaccine based on the knowledge from creating the first flu vaccine in 1942.

Now: H2N2 no longer circulates in humans, but it still infects birds and pigs. It's possible that the virus may again jump from animals to humans in the future.

Measles is a virus that causes fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and sore throat, and later a rash that spreads over the whole body.

It's a very contagious disease that spreads through the air. Almost all children caught measles prior to the vaccine. In the second part of the 20th century, most cases were due to inadequate vaccination coverage.

Doctors began to recommend a second vaccine for everyone. Since then, each year has typically had fewer than 1,000 cases, though this was surpassed in 2019.

Now: The United States has experienced smaller outbreaks of measles in recent years. The CDC states that unvaccinated travelers who visit abroad can contract the disease. When they come home to the United States, they pass it on to others who aren't vaccinated.

Be sure to get all the vaccinations your doctor recommends.

One of Milwaukee's two water treatment plants became contaminated with cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes the cryptosporidiosis infection. Symptoms include dehydration, fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.

An initial study indicated 403,000 people became ill and 69 people died, according to the Water Quality & Health Council, making it the largest waterborne outbreak in United States history.

Most people recovered on their own. Of the people who died, the majority had compromised immune systems.

Now: Cryptosporidiosis is still a yearly concern. The CDC reports that cases increased by 13 percent per year between 2009 and 2017. The number of cases and outbreaks vary in any given year.

Cryptosporidium spreads through soil, food, water, or contact with contaminated feces. It's one of the most common causes of illness to occur through summer recreational water use and can easily be spread from farm animals or in childcare settings.

Be sure to practice good personal hygiene, such as washing hands, when camping, or after touching animals. Refrain from swimming if you have diarrhea.

In the spring of 2009, the H1N1 virus was detected in the United States and spread quickly across the country and the world. This outbreak made headlines as the swine flu.

The CDC estimates that there were 60.8 million cases, 274,304 hospitalizations, and 12,469 deaths in the United States.

Globally, 80 percent of this outbreak's deaths were estimated to have occurred in people younger than 65.

In late December 2009, the H1N1 vaccine became available to everyone who wanted it. Virus activity levels began to slow.

Now: The H1N1 strain still circulates seasonally, but it causes fewer deaths and hospitalizations. Influenza strains mutate every year, making the previous year's vaccinations less effective. It's important to get your yearly vaccination to decrease your risk for the flu.

Pertussis, known as whooping cough, is highly contagious and one of the most commonly occurring diseases in the United States. These coughing attacks can last for months.

Infants too young for vaccination have the highest risk for life-threatening cases. During the first outbreak, 10 infants died.

A whooping cough outbreak comes every 3 to 5 years. The CDC that an increase in the number of cases will likely be the "new normal."

Now: The occurrence of the disease is much less than it was. The CDC recommends all people need the vaccine, but that pregnant women get a vaccination during the third trimester to optimize protection at birth.

It's also recommended that all children, and anyone who hasn't previously been vaccinated, get the vaccine.

First documented in 1981, the epidemic known today as HIV appeared to be a rare lung infection. Now we know that HIV damages the body's immune system and compromises its ability to fight off infections.

AIDS is the final stage of HIV and, according to the CDC, in 2018 it was the 9th leading cause of death in the United States among people 25 to 34 years old. Just because a person gets HIV doesn't mean they'll develop AIDS.

HIV may be transmitted sexually or through blood or body fluids from person to person. It can be transmitted from mother to unborn baby if not treated.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) is a way for high risk populations to avoid HIV infection before exposure. The pill (brand name Truvada) contains two medicines that are used in combination with other medicines to treat HIV.

When someone is exposed to HIV through sexual activity or injection drug use, these medicines can work to keep the virus from establishing a permanent infection.

The CDC believes that for the first time in modern history, the world has the tools to control the HIV epidemic without a vaccine or cure, while laying the groundwork to eventually end HIV.

Controlling the epidemic requires reaching high risk groups with treatment and prevention.

Now: While there's no cure for HIV, transmission risk can be decreased through safety measures, like making sure needles are sterilized and having sex with barrier methods.

Safety measures can be taken during pregnancy to prevent the syndrome from being transmitted from mother to child.

For emergencies, PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is a new antiretroviral medicine that prevents HIV from developing within 72 hours.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, a type of coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19, was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in late 2019. It seems to spread easily and sustainably in the community.

Cases have been reported all over the world, and as of late May 2020, there were over 1.5 million cases and over 100,000 deaths in the United States.

HEALTHLINE'S CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
Stay informed with our live updates about the current COVID-19 outbreak.

Also, visit our coronavirus hub for more information on how to prepare, advice on prevention and treatment, and expert recommendations.

The disease can be life threatening, and older adults and people who have preexisting medical conditions, like heart or lung disease or diabetes, seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications.

There's currently no vaccine.

Primary symptoms include:

Education

Educating yourself about current disease outbreaks can help you understand what precautions you should take in order to keep you and your family safe and healthy.

Take the time to search for ongoing epidemics by visiting the CDC's Current Outbreak List, especially if you're traveling.

Protect yourself and your family

The good news is that most outbreaks listed here are rare and, in some cases, preventable. Make sure your family is up to date on their vaccinations before traveling, and get the latest flu vaccines.

Simple steps in the kitchen and food safety techniques can also prevent you and your family from contracting or transferring infections.

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An epidemic is by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a sudden increase in the number of cases of an infectious disease within a community or geographic area during a specific time period. A spike in the number of cases of the same illness in an area beyond what health officials expect to see is an outbreak.

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The yellow fever virus is found in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa and South America. The virus is spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Yellow fever is a very rare cause of illness in U.S. travelers. Illness ranges from a fever with aches and pains to severe liver disease with bleeding and yellowing skin (jaundice). Yellow fever infection is diagnosed based on laboratory testing, a person's symptoms, and travel history. There is no medicine to treat or cure infection. To prevent getting sick from yellow fever, use insect repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and get vaccinated.

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The yellow fever virus is found in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa and South America. The virus is spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Yellow fever is a very rare cause of illness in U.S. travelers.

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It's got a long name: Ebola hemorrhagic fever. As infections go, this is a scary one. It kills anywhere from 25 to 88 percent of everyone it infects. And people who do come down with the disease suffer mightily. From 2 to 21 days after exposure, they can develop a fever, headaches, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting and loss of appetite. As the disease progresses, it can cause the body to start bleeding internally - and seemingly uncontrollably.

The good news: This disease is not easy to spread. For instance, people do not appear to become infected through the air, as occurs with influenza and many other germs. The virus lives in blood. And that's the primary means by which people become infected - by getting tainted blood or other bodily fluids into a cut, an eye or the mouth.

The disease takes its name from the region where it was first identified: communities near the Ebola River in what was known as Zaire. (That country is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.) As of 2014, there appear to have been 21 major outbreaks of the disease, mostly in central or East Africa. The first was reported in 1976. At that time, 318 people in Zaire contracted the disease - and 280 died.

The germ responsible is called a filovirus. It's a threadlike germ that causes only two known diseases: Ebola and a related infection known as Marburg. No one knows where the virus hides between outbreaks in humans. The suspicion is that bats, deerlike creatures, or some other wild animals carry the virus - perhaps without becoming ill themselves. Then, when people pick up an infected animal, or butcher it to eat it, they may encounter the virus.

Diseases that spill over from wild animals to people are known as zoonoses. Many of the most famous emerging diseases, including Nipah virus and influenza, seem to hide out in animals. Such animal hosts are known as reservoirs.

As of early 2014, there were no drugs to cure Ebola nor vaccines to prevent it. But many research centers have been working on such medicines for many years. Because the West African outbreak of 2014 was so severe, killing well over 1,000 people, public health officials authorized the use of one experimental drug. It was called Zmapp. Doctors administered it to six Ebola patients during the summer of 2014. Several of the treated patients recovered. It was not known, however, if the drug helped their survival or their body's immune systems simply killed the germs.

There wasn't enough Zmapp (which was only supposed to be tested in a few animals) to treat any more people right away. So health officials got together in August 2014 to review a range of possible candidate new drugs. Their goal was to fast-track the testing of these medicines.

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Ebola A family of viruses that cause a deadly disease in people. Most cases occur in Africa and Asia. Its symptoms include headaches, fever, muscle pain and extensive bleeding. The infection spreads from person to person (or animal to some person) through contact with infected body fluids.

epidemic A widespread outbreak of an infectious disease that sickens many people in a community at the same time.

germ Any one-celled microorganism, such as a bacterium, fungal species or virus particle. Some germs cause disease. Others can promote the health of higher-order organisms, including birds and mammals. The health effects of most germs, however, remain unknown.

hemorrhage (adjective is hemorrhagic) Related to major or uncontrolled bleeding, often internally.

infection A disease that can spread from one organism to another.

influenza (or flu) A highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory passages causing fever and severe aching. It often occurs as an epidemic.

reservoir A large store of something. Lakes are reservoirs that hold water. People who study infections refer to the environment in which germs can survive safely (such as the bodies of birds or pigs) as living reservoirs.

vaccine A biological mixture that resembles a disease-causing agent. It is given to help the body create immunity to a particular disease. The injections used to administer most vaccines are known as vaccinations.

virus Tiny infectious particles consisting of RNA or DNA surrounded by protein. Viruses can reproduce only by injecting their genetic material into the cells of living creatures. Although scientists frequently refer to viruses as live or dead, in fact no virus is truly alive. It doesn't eat like animals do, or make its own food the way plants do. It must hijack the cellular machinery of a living cell in order to survive.

zoonosis (plural: zoonoses) Any disease that originates in nonhuman animals and is later contracted by people. Many zoonotic diseases also spread among a host of non-human species. For instance, the type of swine flu that sickened people throughout the world in 2009 also infected marine mammals, including sea otters.

Citations

T.H. Saey. " Record Ebola epidemic strikes." Science News for Students. Aug. 8, 2014.

A.L. Mascarelli. " Explainer: Animals' role in human disease." Science News for Students. Aug. 15, 2013.

A.L. Mascarelli. " Infectious animals." Science News for Students. April 17, 2013.

J. Raloff. " Bush meat can be a viral feast." Science News Online. Jan. 12, 2012.

S. Ornes. " Ebola in the air." Science News for Kids. Dec. 11, 2012.

World Health Organization. Global Alert and Response: Ebola virus disease update - West Africa. Last accessed August 20, 2014.

World Health Organization. Ebola outbreak in West Africa - press briefings (12 August 2014). Last accessed August 20, 2014.

World Health Organization. WHO Statement on the Meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee Regarding the 2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa. August 8, 2014.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2014 Ebola Outbreak in West Africa. Last Accessed August 20, 2014.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Questions and Answers on Experimental Treatments and Vaccines for Ebola. Last accessed August 20, 2014.

Janet Raloff is the editor of Science News for Students. Prior to this, she was an environmental reporter for Science News, specializing in toxicology. To her never-ending surprise, her daughter became a toxicologist.

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It's got a long name: Ebola hemorrhagic fever. As infections go, this is a scary one. It kills anywhere from 25 to 88 percent of everyone it infects. And people who do come down with the disease suffer mightily. From 2 to 21 days after exposure, they can develop a fever, headaches, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting and loss of appetite.

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KidsHealth is the #1 most-trusted source for physician-reviewed information and advice on children's health and parenting issues. For parents, kids, teens, and educators, in English and in Spanish.

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The children of Zika: Babies born with disorder linked to virus | CNN

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Luiz Felipe Santos is one of more than 4,000 babies born with a rare neurological disorder linked to the Zika virus.

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Madagascar's unprecedented outbreak of pneumonic plague is slowing down but the response must be sustained, WHO cautioned on Monday (November 27).

"The worst of the outbreak is over, but we must stand ready to detect and respond to new infections until the end of the plague season in April 2018," said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

According to data published by the Madagascar Ministry of Health, the number of new infections has been in steady decline in recent weeks. This indicates that measures taken to contain the outbreak have been effective, but more infections of both bubonic and pneumonic plague are expected until the end of the plague season in April 2018.

"I congratulate the Government of Madagascar for the way it has worked with partners to contain this outbreak. This is just the type of leadership needed to prevent outbreaks spiralling out of control," Dr Tedros added.

Between 1 August and 22 November, the Madagascar Ministry of Public Health reported a total 2348 cases, including 202 deaths. Nearly all identified plague patients and almost 7300 contacts were provided with treatment free of charge.

"It is a tragedy that a disease from the Middle Ages, that can be easily treated, could threaten an entire country and kill more than 200 people. There is far too little funding for plague research, prevention and preparedness, and this year thousands of people in Madagascar have suffered as a result," said Dr Peter Salama, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme.

Although plague is endemic to Madagascar, this outbreak is unprecedented in terms of speed and reach - occurring in non-endemic areas such as densely populated cities, with a higher proportion of pneumonic versus bubonic cases.

In response, WHO rapidly released US$ 1.5 million in emergency funds, delivered more than 1.2 million doses of antibiotics, and trained more than 4400 people to work as 'contact tracers' to help prevent plague from spreading further in hard-hit areas.

WHO and partners are supporting the Government of Madagascar to coordinate the response, provide clinical guidance, identify and treat patients and their contacts, and strengthen exit screening at airports and ports to reduce the risk of international spread.

More than 135 WHO and Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) staff have been reassigned or deployed to Madagascar to respond to the outbreak.

Ongoing support to sustain the response is required for comprehensive case finding, active contact identification and treatment, rodent and flea control, and ensuring safe and dignified burials.

WHO will continue to assist national health authorities to maintain surveillance and response capabilities and to effectively manage future outbreaks.

Note to editors

Through its Health Emergencies programme, financial support for WHO's response to the plague outbreak in Madagascar has been provided by the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) and the governments of Italy, Norway and the Republic of Korea.

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, as well as the Malagasy Red Cross, Institut Pasteur Madagascar, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Medecins du Monde (MdM), the United Nations country team (including UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP), USAID, Action Contre la Faim, the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) partners, including the alumni network (EAN) of the European Programme for Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), the Indian Ocean Commission (OIC), Public Health England, Robert Koch Institute, Santé Public France, and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other partners are actively supporting the government and health authorities in Madagascar.

WHO has provided technical and operational support in a range of areas from coordination and planning to surveillance, case management, community engagement, logistics, and more.

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Madagascar's plague epidemic is slowing but we must sustain the response

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Madagascar's unprecedented outbreak of pneumonic plague is slowing down but the response must be sustained, WHO cautioned on Monday (November 27). "The worst of the outbreak is over, but we must stand ready to detect and respond to new infections until the end of the plague season in April 2018," said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.