An estimated 2 million people in the U.S. acquire infections during hospital stays. Improper food processing and handling can contribute to bacterial diseases, such as the disastrous E. coli outbreak in western Washington due to undercooked hamburgers at Jack in the Box . Global warming may also increase the spread of some micro-organisms, such as malaria in the future. A variety of diseases arrive in the U.S. through travelers, including Lassa Fever, a viral illness originating in Africa. Malaria has also been introduced to the U.S., most frequently in Florida and California, through infected migrant workers.
International trade is also a source for disease transmission, most often from animals.
Microbes that survive vaccine or antibiotic treatments develop drug resistance. Diseases such as polio remain health threats in countries unable to afford vaccination programs. The growth of antibiotic resistance has contributed to the growing expense of drug treatments, leaving poorer nations without the funds to purchase alternative drugs. Through the Emerging Diseases Working Group, faculty and students are finding ways to combine their pieces of knowledge to help tackle the global health puzzle. During the group's most recent meeting, members identified a primary goal of research collaboration, both inside and outside the University.