If you are interested in reading more about diseases that have seen recent emergence (or rather, emergent diagnosis[1]), The Coming Plague[2] by Laurie Garrett,

If you are interested in reading more about diseases that have seen recent emergence (or rather, emergent diagnosis[1]), The Coming Plague[2] by Laurie Garrett, ISBN 0140250913, is a good read. It details the modern origin cases that led to the characterization of a number of diseases, including Marburg, Ebola, Legionnaires' Disease, and Lassa fever. It also talks about their epidemiology and the optimism of the mid-20th century for eradication of things like malaria, as well as the resulting challenges. The book reads like a thriller because the scientists involved are heroic and colorful, and have stories worth telling. 1. http://www.sciencemag.org/content/338/6108/750.full http://www.sciencemag.org/content/338/6108/750.full 2. http://www.amazon.com/The-Coming-Plague-Emerging-Diseases/dp/0140250913 http://www.amazon.com/The-Coming-Plague-Emerging-Diseases/dp...