200TH ANNIVERSARY ARTICLE
The Perpetual Challenge of Infectious Diseases
Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., and David M. Morens, M.D.
N Engl J Med 2012; 366:454-461February 2, 2012
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The Perpetual Challenge of Infectious Diseases.
Among the many challenges to health, infectious diseases stand out for their ability to have a profound impact on the human species. Great pandemics and local epidemics alike have influenced the course of wars, determined the fates of nations and empires, and affected the progress of civilization, making infections compelling actors in the drama of human history.1-11 For 200 years, the Journal has captured the backdrop to this human drama in thousands of articles about infectious diseases and about biomedical research and public health efforts to understand, treat, control, and prevent them./../