Viruses That Cause Human Disease

Viruses are responsible for many common human diseases, such as colds, flu, diarrhoea, chicken pox, measles, and mumps. Some viral diseases—such as rabies, haemorrhagic fevers, encephalitis, polio, yellow fever, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome—can result in death. German measles and cytomegalovirus can cause serious abnormalities or death in unborn infants. Of the estimated 3,600 types of virus, approximately 250 cause disease in human beings.