Emerging Infectious Diseases

Recent years have seen an emergence of infectious diseases in Alaska and the Arctic. These diseases include the appearance of new or previously unknown infections or the reappearance of known infectious diseases that are now drug-resistant. Similar trends are being seen worldwide. AIP works to protect the public against these health threats. They do this through a combination of the following public health activities:

• Surveillance and response
• Applied research
• Providing infrastructure and training
• Prevention and control

The emerging infectious diseases that are of primary concern in the region include increases in antibiotic-resistant infections (such as MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), zoonotic diseases (passed from animal to man) and bacterial infections for which current vaccines do not provide infection.