EID Journal Background and Goals

What are "emerging" infectious diseases?

Infectious diseases whose incidence in humans has increased in the past 2 decades or threatens to increase in the near future have been defined as "emerging." These diseases, which respect no national boundaries, include:

• New infections resulting from changes or evolution of existing organisms
• Known infections spreading to new geographic areas or populations
• Previously unrecognized infections appearing in areas undergoing ecologic transformation
• Old infections reemerging as a result of antimicrobial resistance in known agents or breakdowns in public health measures.

Why an "Emerging" Infectious Diseases journal?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the agency of the U.S. Public Health Service charged with disease prevention and health promotion, leads efforts to address emerging infectious disease issues such as AIDS, antimicrobial resistance, food safety, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, influenza, travel health,  tuberculosis, West Nile virus infection, and zoonoses. CDC's efforts encompass improvements in disease surveillance, the public health infrastructure, and epidemiologic and laboratory training.

Emerging Infectious Diseases represents the scientific communications component of CDC's efforts against the threat of emerging infections. However, even as it addresses CDC's interest in the elusive, continuous, evolving, and global nature of these infections, the journal relies on a broad international authorship base and is rigorously peer-reviewed by independent reviewers from all over the world.

What are the goals of Emerging Infectious Diseases?

1. Recognition of new and reemerging infections and understanding of factors involved in disease emergence, prevention, and elimination. Toward this end, the journal:
   • Investigates factors known to influence emergence: microbial adaptation and change, human demographics and behavior, technology and industry, economic development and land use, international travel and commerce, and the breakdown of public health measures.
   • Reports laboratory and epidemiologic findings within a broader public health perspective.
   • Provides swift updates of infectious disease trends and research: new methods of detecting, characterizing, or subtyping pathogens; developments in antimicrobial drugs, vaccines, and prevention or elimination programs; case reports.
2. Fast and broad dissemination of reliable information on emerging infectious diseases. Toward this end, the journal:
   • Publishes reports of interest to researchers in infectious diseases and related sciences, as well as to public health generalists learning the scientific basis for prevention programs.
   • Encourages insightful analysis and commentary, stimulating global interest in and discussion of emerging infectious disease issues.
   • Harnesses electronic technology to expedite and enhance global dissemination of emerging infectious disease information.

Contact EID Production Editors at eideditor@cdc.gov