「新興傳染病」(new infectious diseases) 受全球關注已有相當時日，所謂「新興傳染病」包括新現傳染病 (emerging infectious diseases) 及再現傳染病(reemerging infectious diseases) 兩類。在邁向全球化的二十一世紀，「新興傳染病」將對全球人類的生命與財產造成威脅；並對全球及區域的公共衛生系統形成新挑戰。本文先討論「新興傳染病」的定義及新現與再現兩類傳染病的目前情況；再論述「新興傳染病」的全球分布趨勢；最後，分析「新興傳染病」與人類健康相關的研究，初步歸納出：生物、環境、生態、社會及經濟等因素與「新興傳染病」崛起的相互關係。

New infectious diseases, including both emerging infectious diseases and reemerging infectious diseases, have raised growing worldwide concerns. At the age of globalization in the Twenty-First Century, new infectious diseases pose a great threat to human health and property, and become a new challenge in both local and global public health systems. This paper first reviews definitions of new infectious diseases and the status of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. Then it describes the worldwide distribution of new infectious diseases. Finally, it presents an analysis of important factors contributing to new infectious diseases including a combination of biological, environmental, ecological, social and economic factors.