Sometimes moving in leaps and bounds, sometimes inching forward, the underlying scientific principles of infectious diseases have become more fully understood. From bad air to bacteria, from Galen's description of smallpox to Gallo and Montaigner's breakthroughs with HIV and AIDS to the first vaccine trial for HIV, from the earliest discoveries to the latest developments, Dates in Infectious Diseases provides a timeline of information documenting the evolution of our current knowledge. The achievements and contributions of many doctors and scientists, some working together, some working simultaneously in different areas of the world, each building on the work of their predecessors, have lead to our increased understanding of infectious diseases. Dates in Infectious Diseases clearly illustrates the building-block nature of the discovery of scientific principles and their impact on our perception and practice in this field.