insurance and epidemics: sars, west nile virus and nipah virus. | severe acute respiratory syndrome (sars) reminds us that sudden disease emergence is a permanent part of our world--and should be anticipated in our planning. historically the emergence of new diseases has had little or no impact beyond a small, localized cluster of infections. however, given just the right conditions, a highly virulent pathogen can suddenly spread across time and space with massive consequences, as has occurred on several occasions in human history. in the wake of the sars outb ... | 2003 | 14971089 |