Death rides on every passing breeze, He lurks in every flower; Each season has its own diseases, Its peril every hour.

REGINALD HEBER 1783–1826 At A Funeral

Much of what is known about the epidemiology of infectious diseases is determined through investigations of epidemics. Such outbreaks of infectious diseases have always piqued the professional interest of clinicians, public health practitioners, and basic scientists. Interest in infectious disease outbreaks is heightened when deaths occur or when there is potential for epidemic fatal illness. For the professional, this interest in epidemics of fatal illness is often driven by the desire to rapidly develop treatment and prevention strategies to avert additional deaths. In recent years, infectious disease outbreaks have also captured public attention because of increasing coverage in the print and broadcast media. Although fictional accounts of deadly epidemics, such as the recent film Outbreak, have been extremely popular, media coverage of actual epidemics has also been closely followed by the public. Recently published best-selling books, such as The Coming Plague<sup>31 Garrett L. The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance New York, Farrar: Straus and Giroux (1994). 

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> and The Hot Zone,<sup>62 Preston R.   The Hot Zone New York: Random House (1994). 

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> describe such real-life investigations.

This article provides an overview of four public health emergencies involving infections that proved fatal or that had the potential to cause fatal disease. Each account is provided by a public health professional involved in the field investigation of the epidemic. Many personnel from a number of agencies contributed to the success of each investigation. We wish to acknowledge the skill, knowledge, and perseverance of these collaborators.