In the last year, the global public health community has continued to be confronted and
challenged by emerging infectious diseases. As evident from studying a list of emerging
diseases, almost every year at least one new human pathogen is recognized or the microbial
cause of a previously identified disease is determined. The last year has proven to be no
exception, with the first human illnesses due to an avian strain of influenza [influenza A
(H5N1)] recognized in the latter half of 1997 in Hong Kong. Other firsts during 1997-1998
were the initial reports of nosocomial infections caused by strains of Staphylococcus
aureus with reduced susceptibility to glycopeptides (i.e. vancomycin) from Japan and the
United States and an outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome identified in Chile. {
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