Emerging infectious diseases are infections that have newly appeared in a population or that are rapidly increasing in incidence or geographic range, together with re-emerging diseases that resurge after a period of decline. They arise from several mechanisms: the appearance of previously unknown pathogens, the spre…
Emerging infectious diseases are infections that have newly appeared in a population or that are rapidly increasing in incidence or geographic range, together with re-emerging diseases that resurge after a period of decline. They arise from several mechanisms: the appearance of previously unknown pathogens, the spread of agents into new regions or hosts, the re-emergence of established diseases through drug resistance or lapses in control, and the spillover of zoonotic organisms from animal reservoirs to humans. Drivers include ecological and land-use change, human encroachment on wildlife habitats, global travel and trade, microbial evolution, and, as discussed in the literature, considerations surrounding gain-of-function research and the geopolitics of pathogen study. The category encompasses high-consequence agents such as Ebola virus and pandemic coronaviruses, as well as zoonotic and vector-borne bacteria identified through surveillance of animal hosts and remote communities. Effective response depends on early detection, laboratory capacity including immunoassay and immunogenomic approaches for monitoring infection, robust surveillance, reimbursement and health-system preparedness, and supportive clinical and nutritional care for affected patients. Because environmental change and extreme events can further alter disease risk, the study of emerging infectious diseases integrates microbiology, ecology, epidemiology, and public-health policy to anticipate, prevent, and contain new and resurgent threats.
8 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 8 articles above have been cited 14 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Emerging Infectious Diseases, linking to each citing work.