The National Academies
What You Need To Know About Infectious Disease
New infectious diseases are emerging and old ones are appearing in new places around the globe. What’s behind this trend? And to what extent has human behavior amplified the problem? The National Academies, advisers to the nation in science, engineering, and medicine, provide the information you need to understand this complex topic.
Infection
Microbes are all around us. Most don’t do any harm but what about the few that cause infection? Learn the basics.
Threats
Certain aspects of disease are a particular threat to us today. What are some of the things we're most concerned about in the United States?
Challenges
Infectious disease isn’t limited by national borders. Learn how our modern way of life contributes to the spread and emergence of disease.
Prevention
What do we need to do—as individuals and as a society—to stave off the threat of infectious disease?
Explore Other Topics
What do you know about infectious disease?
True or False: Not all microbes are harmful to humans.
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Correct!
Not all microbes are harmful to humans. In fact, many of them protect us, helping our bodies function properly and competing with harmful organisms in an eternal contest for habitable space in or on our bodies. Although the microorganisms that cause disease often receive more attention, most microorganisms do not cause illness.
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Sorry, that’s incorrect.
Not all microbes are harmful to humans. In fact, many of them protect us, helping our bodies function properly and competing with harmful organisms in an eternal contest for habitable space in or on our bodies. Although the microorganisms that cause disease often receive more attention, most microorganisms do not cause illness.
Infectious Disease Defined
- Adaptive Mutation
The gradual process through which certain genetic mutations that confer a specific advantage in a selective environment become more common within a population over time.
