Bird flu, malaria, plague and West Nile virus are infectious diseases we've all heard of. Find information on these epidemics and more in this section.
Ever since West Nile Virus arrived in the United States, it's been treated as a serious, growing threat. This virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, is potentially deadly -- but what are your chances of contracting it? See more »
Think the Black Death was the worst epidemic to hit mankind? Strap on a face mask and get comfortable in your plastic bubble -- the plague is just the beginning.
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When a subject dominates the news, you can be sure that everyone's got an opinion about it. Unfortunately, some of those opinions are bound to be based on pure misinformation -- so what do you have wrong about swine flu?
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So you've heard all the hype about H1N1 and have no interest in being infected with a combination swine-avian-human influenza monster virus. What are the best ways to go about avoiding it?
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Many of us understand that we're most contagious before we start feeling sick. Find out when colds and the flu are most easily spread.
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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.
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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.
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Many world leaders agree that we're losing the war on AIDS. AIDS is one of the deadliest human diseases ever -- worldwide, it claims approximately 5 lives every minute of every day. Learn how the AIDS virus attacks the body.
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If you've kept up with the news lately, you've probably heard dire warnings about avian flu, or bird flu. In this article, we'll review the basics of how viruses and influenza work, and we'll learn the answers to these and other questions about avian flu, including whether it is likely to cause a global flu epidemic.
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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?
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During flu season, there's danger everywhere you look: the kindergartener wiping her nose, your sneezing seatmate on the plane, the co-worker who's hacking up a lung. Is your impending case of sniffles swine flu?
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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?
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Mad cow disease is in the news again, with tests confirming the second case in the United States since December 2003. Learn how this brain disease affects livestock and people.
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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.
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MRSA, also called the superbug, is a bacterium becoming resistant to antibiotics. Read about treating MRSA infections and how MRSA can be controlled.
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You may be familiar with the medieval 'Black Plague," but did you know that bouts of plague still break out today? Find out what causes an outbreak, learn why plague still exists and explore how the plague has influenced history.
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Most of us know not to pet an angry dog with a foaming mouth, and that perhaps snuggling with a bat isn't the brightest rabies-prevention plan. But how does rabies choose its victims, and what can it do to humans?
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Severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS is back in the news. A second case has been confirmed in China in the southern province of Guangdong. Learn about this potentially lethal condition.
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You've heard it on the lips of every newscaster and seen it in the pages of every newspaper and Web site: swine flu. Just how worried should we be about the 2009 version of the H1N1 virus?
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While most flu sufferers moan and groan for about a week and then return to work, the flu season creates more than just discomfort and a costly loss of work days.
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Ever since West Nile Virus arrived in the United States, it's been treated as a serious, growing threat. This virus, transmitted by mosquitoes, is potentially deadly -- but what are your chances of contracting it?
See more »
Learn more about what ails you. Here are some common symptoms.
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