The global outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in spring 2003 focused international attention on the role of public health systems in the infectious disease context. Governmental responses to the outbreak illustrated the use of public health laws to contain disease and protect populations and, in many cases, testing the ability of current laws to address emerging biological threats.

Emerging and reemerging infectious diseases continue to pose significant challenges to public health systems, requiring the maintenance and advancement of infrastructural organization, legal preparedness, scientific knowledge, and technological capacity.

This portion of the Clearinghouse contains materials relevant to issues that will face public health systems in the event of an infectious disease outbreak, including disease-specific characteristics, current response strategies, and commentary on the role of public health laws in disease control.

• Infectious disease characteristics

• Infectious disease containment

• Infectious disease and public health law

• Law enforcement and infectious disease control

• Courts and infectious disease control