In this era of rapid globalization and frequent travel, emerging viral infections have gained an immense potential to spread at an unprecedented speed and scale compared with the past. This poses a significant challenge to coordinated international efforts in global surveillance and infection control.

Significantly, respiratory viral infections, spread mostly via droplet transmission, are extremely contagious and have caused significant morbidity and mortality during outbreaks in the last decade. Molecular diagnostics via reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) have been key in the rapid diagnosis of most of these viral infections. However, a high index of suspicion and early institution of appropriate isolation measures remain as the mainstay in the control and containment of the spread of these viral infections. Although treatment for most of the viral infections remains supportive, efficacious antiviral agents against influenza infections exist.

The infections discussed in this chapter include those first described in the 2000s: Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and metapneumovirus and rhinovirus C as well as those that have been described in the past but have reemerged in the last decade in outbreaks resulting in significant morbidity and mortality, including adenovirus, influenza virus, and enterovirus D68 (EV-D68).