Throughout history, emerging and reemerging infectious disease have plagued human populations. From the earliest recorded epidemics of bubonic plague and smallpox more than 2,500 years ago to the deadly 1918 pandemic of the Spanish Flu, infectious diseases have helped to shape human history. Despite significant advances in medical research and treatment in the past century, infectious diseases remain among the leading causes of death worldwide. These diseases are appearing in places they have never been seen before or were thought to have been eradicated, are spreading faster and more...

The nature of infectious disease outbreaks and their potential for rapid global spread require enhanced preparedness, including a fine-tuned ability to communicate, cooperate, and collaborate, within countries and across international borders on very short notice and with minimal bureaucratic delay. Cooperation must be predicated upon a clear understanding of national and international roles and responsibilities at all phases of a crisis. The importance of communication, collaboration, and cooperation cannot be overemphasized.