The Control of Communicable Diseases Manual is the most widely recognized sourcebook on infectious diseases. The 19h edition addresses concerns about the impact of communicable diseases around the globe as communicable diseases, new and unknown, continue to thrive, kill, maim and surprise the masses. Among the diseases addressed in the new edition is a chapter on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The emergence of this disease so clearly demonstrates that every country is vulnerable and that the impact of this communicable disease has been felt worldwide.