The risk of contracting an infectious disease has increased significantly in the past several years, not only 'at home' in the U.S., but also with the 'import' of communicable diseases from other countries.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, monitors the incidence of communicable diseases. Current concerns include the Avian flu virus ('bird' flu), SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), and swine fever.

Even patients in hospitals and their nurses are more at risk of being exposed to communicable diseases. MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus) is one of several antibiotic / multi-drug resistant bacteria which generally attack people with weakened immune systems.

• U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) - Public Education Resources
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Emerging Infectious Diseases
• World Health Organization (WHO) - Emerging Diseases
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) - Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases