Open Questions: Infectious Diseases

See also: The immune system -- Microbiology -- AIDS -- Avian flu -- Immune system disorders -- Vaccines -- Antibiotics -- Prions

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases: Web site of one of the major institutes within the U. S. National Instutes of Health. In addition to organizational information the site provides tutorial information, news, and research information.
National electronic Library of Infection: "The NeLI is a digital library bringing together the best available on-line evidence-based, quality-tagged resources on the investigation, treatment, prevention and control of infectious disease." Information is provided on infectious organisms, diseases, body systems susceptible to infection, and additional resources.
Genetics of Infectious Diseases: Good collection of resources on the topic -- external links, magazine articles, and books.

Category: Infectious diseases: Topic category from Wikipedia.
Infectious disease: Article from Wikipedia. See also Infection, List of infectious diseases, Microbiology, Pneumonia.
Medical Microbiology: Complete online textbook, edited by Samuel Baron. Index. Part of the NCBI Bookshelf.

Category: Virology: Topic category from Wikipedia.
Virus: Article from Wikipedia. See also Influenza, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Hepatitis.
Human Virology at Stanford: Viruses, HIV, Prions, and Related Topics: Assorted pages on the listed topics, by Robert Siegel, many with external links, such as the Infectious Disease Related Web Pages.
Hepatitis C: December 2006 Scientific American Sidebar about the experimental hepatitis C vaccine E1E2/MF59.
Preparing for Battle: February 2001 article from Scientific American, subtitled "Every year influenza contributes to 20,000 deaths in the U.S. and perhaps millions worldwide. Learn how vaccines protect against it."

Bacterium: Article from Wikipedia. See also Antibiotic, Antibiotic resistance, Tuberculosis.
Links - Antimicrobial Resistance: Relatively short list from the UK Health Protection Agency.
Antimicrobial Resistance in Healthcare Settings: A collection of information from the CDC. Deals with various infections, such as MRSA, Strep pneumoniae, tuberculosis, and Vancomysin-resistant Enterococci.
Antimicrobial resistance: General information from the UK Health Protection Agency. Includes external links.
MRSA - Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Information provided by the CDC. Includes Community-Associated MRSA Frequently Asked Questions and a similar MRSA fact sheet.
Staphylococcus aureus: Includes general information and external links on antimicrobial resistance. From the UK Health Protection Agency.
Meet Resistance Head-On: January 2007 Scientific American Perspectives article about antibiotic resistance.
Q&A: MRSA 'superbugs': December 2002 article from the BBC with frequently-asked questions.
Hospital infections: Case studies: December 2003 article from the BBC that provides three case studies involving MRSA and necrotising fasciitis.
MedlinePlus: Tuberculosis: Links to various kinds of information, from MedlinePlus
Tuberculosis: Links to a variety of information on tuberculosis, from the World Health Organization.

Malaria: Article from Wikipedia.
Malaria: A ScienceWeek "symposium" consisting of excerpts and summaries of articles from various sources.
Medline Plus: Malaria: General information on malaria, from Medline Plus.
Malaria Vaccine Initiative: Contains general information on malaria and prospects for the development of a malaria vaccine
Malaria: December 2006 Scientific American Sidebar about the experimental malaria vaccines RTS and S/A SO2A.
Malaria Makes a Break for It: December 2000 Scientific American news story.
Malaria's Tricks on Film: January 2001 Scientific American news story.
Combating Malaria: October 2000 Scientific American news story.
Antimalarial drug gets new lease of life: October 2000 news article about discovery of a gene in mosquitoes that appears responsible for malarial resistance to chloroquinine.
Gene Creates Malaria Drug Resistance: November 1997 news article in Science News about a gene of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite which gives it resistance to chloroquine.

New Tactics in the Fight against Tuberculosis
Clifton E. Barry III; Maija S. Cheung
Scientific American, February 2009
The Seeds of Malaria
Ben Harder
Science News, November 10, 2001: Recent evolution cultivated a deadly scourge.
The Unmet Challenge of Hepatitis C
Adrian M. Di Biscelgie; Bruce R. Bacon
Scientific American, October 1999, pp. 80-85: Although almost 2% of the U. S. adult population is infected with the hepatitis C virus, there was little awareness of this disease only a decade ago. Over a long period of time the infection can lead to liver disease or cancer of the liver. The genetic material of the hepatitis C virus is RNA. Various strategies are being investigated for therapeutics, including ribozymes and antisense technology.
Disarming Flu Viruses
W. Graeme Laver; Norbert Bischofberger; Robert G. Webster
Scientific American, January 1999, pp. 78-87: It may soon become possible to treat influenza with new drugs that prevent replication of the flu virus in human tissues.