Communicating the threat of emerging infections to the public

Communication theory and techniques, aided by the electronic revolution, pr ovide new opportunities and challenges for the effective transfer of labora tory, epidemiologic, surveillance, and other public health data to the publ ic who funds them. We review the applicability of communication theory, par ticularly the audience-source-message-channel meta-model, to emerging infec tious disease issues. Emergence of new infectious organisms, microbial resi stance to therapeutic drugs, and increased emphasis on prevention have expa nded the role of communication as a vital component of public health practi ce. In the absence of cure, as in AIDS and many other public health problem s, an effectively crafted and disseminated prevention message is the key co ntrol measure. Applying communication theory to disease prevention messages can increase the effectiveness of the messages and improve public health.