If there is one thing more frightening to scientists than the stubborn silent germs that can threaten the lives of thousands its how easily those germs can get around. Its estimated two percent of the world's population has moved to a new country in the last few years.
"That's over 200 million people that have moved to a new location. So that means that these infections we're talking about are global," said Dr. Larry Schlesinger from the Ohio State University Medical Center
And they're serious. So serious in fact that Dr. Schlesinger started and runs a centre dedicated solely to finding and fighting them.
From his laboratories at Ohio State University, over 50 scientists work on treatments for the next major outbreak -- while they never know if it will be tuberculosis, malaria or H1N1 influenza.
They'll know where to find it using remarkable computer programs. Another group of scientists at Ohio State can map cases overnight and even zoom in to street level to tell them who is infected.
They created a similar tracking map for the avian flu.
"I could tell you where it came from in the world and what mutations are specific to that lineage such that it can be diagnosed rapidly," said Dr. Dan Janies.
But diagnosing the disease is only half the battle -- we also have to stop what causes it.
"The truth is, microbes evolve much more rapidly than humans do," Schlesinger said.
Many have also learned how to be resistant to our drugs, which is why the team is also constantly looking for new therapies.
"You really don't eradicate infectious disease, you just tame them and they keep reemerging. And if we're not smart they'll win the battle, not humans," Schlesinger said.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Dr. Rhonda Low
