For centuries, Man has been susceptible to infectious diseases and disorders due to micro-organisms ("bugs"). Some infectious diseases are highly contagious and may cause many people to become ill, often with significant morbidity or death, over a very brief time frame ("epidemic"). During the Middle Ages, bubonic plague was epidemic throughout Europe.

Today, proper public health, sanitation, waste disposal and surveillance for contagious diseases go a long way to mitigate potential epidemics. Additionally, medicines have been produced (vaccines) and are available for use that prompt the human body to prevent ( by way of antibodies and immunocompetent cells) morbidity and mortality from common infectious diseases. Measles, mumps, rubella vaccines are well known to parents of young children.

Unfortunately, useful vaccines are not administered to everyone in the World in a timely manner. Unvaccinated people may contract infectious diseases and be part of epidemics in the World today. With international travel being readily available, people suffering from significant contagious infectious diseases may enter other countries where "third world" diseases are not suspected or diagnosed.

Clinical laboratories provide testing to determine immune status of individuals as well as testing to determine etiologies of infections, including causes of possible epidemics. These services are available to our customers.