Infectious Diseases

Discover MedlinePlus

MedlinePlus is a service of the National Library of Medicine, the largest biomedical library in the world. Use MedlinePlus.gov anywhere, anytime, on any device - for free - to discover high-quality health and wellness information that is reliable, easy to understand, and free of advertising, in both English and Spanish.

Discover information on:

• Infectious Diseases
• Tuberculosis
• Mononucleosis
• Smallpox
• Foodborne Illness

Also discover MyHeathfinder.gov to learn how to Prevent Infections When You Get Medical Care.

Discover NIH

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency — making important discoveries that improve health and save lives. NIH is made up of 27 Institutes and Centers, each with a specific research agenda, often focusing on particular diseases or body systems.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is the primary NIH organization for research on Infectious Diseases.  

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Many diseases become difficult to control if infectious agents evolve resistance to commonly used drugs. Scientists are currently searching for new approaches to treat infectious diseases, focusing on exactly how the pathogens change and drug resistance evolves.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national health agency responsible for American lives by securing global health, ensuring domestic preparedness, eliminating disease, and ending epidemics. Ready-to-use printable posters from the CDC can help raise awareness about hand washing. Place them in highly visible public areas, such as schools, workplaces, and restrooms.

National Foundation for Infectious Diseases is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating the public and health care professionals about the burden, causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases across the lifespan.

"Hands-on" activities help raise awareness of how germs and viruses are transmitted. The aim of Handshake Hazard is to raise awareness of the transmission of bacteria and to show how easily germs can spread from person to person and on different surfaces. The key message is that thorough hand washing can reduce the spread of bacteria.