When you watch the video, make note of where many of these diseases emerge and how they emerge. Many emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic diseases and tracking down viral origins and reservoirs can be challenging. This video illustrates both the tremendous strides we have made in our understanding of viruses and how fragile humankind remains in the face of infectious agents. Keep the following questions on hand as you view the video.

What are the attributes of a particularly dangerous emerging infectious disease? What features of modern society influence dissemination of viral diseases of this nature? Using the information you learned from the readings and videos you have reviewed this week to support your answers, address these questions in your discussion post. If you were in charge of distributing one-hundred million dollars in research funds but could only chose one viral disease to provide for, which disease would you endow and why? How do you think the medical and scientific community should use your millions?