Arenaviruses are a type of small virus commonly found in rodents. When a person becomes infected with an arenavirus, symptoms usually begin within 10 days.
West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that is maintained in an enzootic cycle between mosquitoes and birds. Humans and horses are incidental dead-end hosts.
Marburg virus disease (MVD), formerly known as Marburg haemorrhagic fever, is a severe disease in humans caused by Marburg marburgvirus (MARV). Although MVD is uncommon, MARV has the potential to cause epidemics with significant case fatality rates.
Hantaviruses are rodent-borne viruses can be transmitted to humans by contact with faeces/urine from infected rodents or with dust containing infective particles. They may cause severe diseases. Eliminating contact with rodents is the best way to prevent infection.
HIV is a virus which attacks the immune system and causes a lifelong severe illness with a long incubation period. The end-stage of the infection, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), results from the destruction of the immune system.
West Nile virus (WNV) infection is a mosquito-borne zoonosis. The virus is transmitted among birds via the bite of infected mosquitoes and incidentally humans and other mammals may become infected.
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.