Frank Carlson Library

Viruses are contagious. They can be passed from person to person. They can also be passed to a person by an animal. Discover more in How Does a Virus Spread?, part of the Understanding Viruses series.

A virus is a type of germ so small that it can only be seen with a microscope. Viruses were discovered in the late 1880s. Discover more in What Is a Virus?, part of the Understanding Viruses series.

People who feel unwell should try to avoid others. This helps stop the spread of the virus. The more contact people have with an infected person, the faster a virus spreads. Discover more in Staying Safe from Viruses, part of the Understanding Viruses series.

SARS stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. It is an infectious disease that attacks a person's respiratory system. Find out more in SARS, one of the titles in the International Outbreaks series.

A pandemic develops when a disease spreads across a country, continent, or around the world. Discover more in What Is a Pandemic?, part of the Understanding Viruses series.

The Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976 in Central Africa. The disease was named after the Ebola River, which flows near the region where Ebola was discovered. Find out more in Ebola, one of the titles in the International Outbreaks series.