In consultation with Consulting Editor, Dr. Helen Boucher, Drs. Zumla and Hui have assembled an excellent clinical overview of the current priorities in treating emerging and re-emerging infections. A number of landmark events have occurred in the area of epidemic infections. The frequency and diversity of serious and drug/antibiotic-resistant infections are increasing. New and re-emerging infectious disease outbreaks continue to cause much human suffering and loss of life worldwide. Current priority infectious diseases concerns that threaten global health security are covered in this issue: Cholera; Typhoid and antibiotic-resistant strains; multi-drug-resistant Tuberculosis; Invasive Meningococcal disease; Invasive Pneumococcal disease; antibiotic-resistant bacterial, viral, and protozoal infections; diphtheria; pandemic influenza; MERS; SARS; Measles; viral haemorrhagic fevers; wild-type Polio virus; Zika; antibiotic-resistant sexually transmitted diseases; drug-resistant Malaria; ARV-resistant HIV; and fungal infections. This issue's clinical review articles, written by authoritative and renowned experts in the area would, have broad appeal, from general internists to respiratory specialists. It should also prove interesting to infectious diseases specialists, health practitioners in the tropics, pulmonologists, internal medicine fellows, family physicians, and health-care policy makers in the west and developing countries. Medical students, postgraduates, and research fellows (both undergraduates and postgraduates) will also find this issue useful and to be a updated reference in the field of respiratory medicine, tropical medicine, and infectious diseases.

Respiratory infections are among the most common causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide.? These infections present a special challenge to physicians for several reasons, including of the recent disasters caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and bird and swine influenza, the increase in viral and bacterial resistance to currently available anti-microbial drugs, the increased frequency of new viral lung infections in clinical practice, and the worldwide emergence of deadly drug-resistant forms of TB.? For these reasons, it is important for infectious disease specialists to have an overview of emerging respiratory infections.