The World's Fight Against Microbes     Many infectious diseases that were nearly eradicated from theindustrialized world, and newly emerging diseases are now breaking out all overthe world due to the misuse of medicines, such as antibiotics and antivirals,the destruction of our environment, and shortsighted political action and/orinaction.     Viral hemorrhagic fevers are a group of diseases caused by viruses fromfour distinct families of viruses: filoviruses, arenaviruses, flaviviruses, andbunyaviruses. The usual hosts for most of these viruses are rodents orarthropods, and in some viruses, such as the Ebola virus, the natural host isnot known. All forms of viral hemorrhagic fever begin with fever and muscleaches, and depending on the particular virus, the disease can progress until thepatient becomes deathly ill with respiratory problems, severe bleeding, kidneyproblems, and shock. The severity of these diseases can range from a mildillness to death (CDC I).
