Communicable Diseases
Communicable diseases spread from one person to another or from an animal to a person. The spread often happens via airborne viruses or bacteria, but also through blood or other bodily fluid. The terms infectious and contagious are also used to describe communicable disease. In this section, learn about coordinated efforts to combat a few of the most serious communicable diseases on a global level.
HIV/AIDS
The most successful programs to fight AIDS have been efforts to make available antiretroviral drugs that allow people with HIV to live for many years before developing symptoms of AIDS
Influenza
Because influenza affects so many people around the globe every year, extensive international coordination is required in the areas of influenza surveillance, detection, and response
Malaria
The focus areas involved in combating malaria include public health information, science and research, prevention and control, case management, and regulating diagnostic tests and vaccines
Tuberculosis
The U.S. government and many other governments and organization around the world are engaged to help people infected with tuberculosis and to stop its sprea
Polio
Polio tends to infect children under five causing lifelong crippling conditions, but two vaccines promise the possibility of eradication