Department of Defense Global Emerging Infections System Programs in Biodefense

One of the great fallacies of the mid-20th century was that infectious diseases were nearing elimination. In the face of those prognostications, more than 25 new infectious diseases were recognized for the first time between 1975 and 2000. These new scourges included HIV, Ebola, Legionnaire’s Disease, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, deadly new strains of influenza, and new forms of drug-resistant bacteria and malaria. Rather than nearing extinction as a broad class of human suffering, infectious diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide. The ability of microbes to adapt to new pressures, including antibiotic usage coupled with changes in society, technology, and the environment make it likely that the microbial threat will remain a threat to humanity, and even suggests the possibility of regional and global epidemics comparable to the worst in history.