Infectious Diseases

SARS originated in the Guangdong province of China in 2002. Learn more about the origins of SARS from this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

There are few loftier goals than eradicating a disease. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, but, it's not for lack of trying. Read on to discover more about these efforts and learn about the top 10 eradicable diseases.

By Robynne Boyd

There's a reason why the person hacking a lung up on public transportation is subject to such dirty looks -- he or she is subjecting the whole bus or train car to infection. But how do infections just hang in the air?

By Molly Edmonds

This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home and this little piggy gave us swine flu? Wrong. The swine flu of 2008 and 2009 doesn't even come from pigs. So why do we call it that?

By Tom Scheve

MRSA, also called the superbug, is a bacterium becoming resistant to antibiotics. Read about treating MRSA infections and how MRSA can be controlled.

By Josh Clark

The giddiness over studies showing that circumcision reduces a man's risk of contracting AIDS from an infected woman has died down a bit in the wake of subsequent research. It appears that a woman's risk of contracting AIDS from an infected man may be greater if he's circumcised.

By Julia Layton

A research group in Atlanta has developed an AIDS vaccine that shows 96 percent effectiveness in non-human, pre-clinical trials. It's already in Phase I human trials and could be on the market within four years.

By Julia Layton

If you're a mother in tropical Africa, a biting mosquito is one of your worst fears, because it can transmit malaria. Learn about this serious, often fatal disease and find out why it's one of the world's most pressing public health concerns.

By Sherry Kahn

Your body is constantly dealing with microorganisms, its own and those introduced from the outside. Some microorganisms can cause what are called infectious diseases. Learn how the body deals with them.

By Editors of Consumer Guide

Flu is short for influenza virus. Learn how the flu virus works and why antibiotics won't help you fight it.

By Stephanie Watson

Early rumors claimed that having HIV doesn't mean that you necessarily have AIDS. Is there any truth to this?

Since AIDS is carried through the blood, what are the chances of contracting it from a mosquito bite?

How long can a germ live in a room? My son had a friend over, and the friend was coughing all over the house. How long can his germs infect people?