Fleas are ectoparasitic blood-sucking insects with the ability to jump, which commonly infest wild and domestic animals (mainly dogs and cats) but also humans.
Mumps is a viral infection first described by Hippocrates that in its classical form causes acute parotitis and, less frequently, orchitis, meningitis and pneumonia.
Botulism is a serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. The disease may occur after eating foods containing the toxin or due to development of the spores within the intestine of young children or within wounds.
Rabies is a disease caused by rabies virus (a Lyssavirus). Every year, a small number of cases of rabies is reported in Europe - travel-related or autochthonous.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a life-threatening respiratory disease caused by a recently identified coronavirus; the SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). This is believed to be an animal virus that recently crossed the species barrier to infect humans.
Diphtheria is spread through droplets from coughing or sneezing. Most often the disease causes a sore throat and low grade fever in the first few days of the illness.
Plague is caused by the bacillus Yersinia (Y.) pestis, belonging to the family of the Enterobacteriaceae. It evolved several thousand years ago from Y. pseudotuberculosis.