ABSTRACT
The concept of Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) has been defined by Morse as "infections that have newly appeared in the population or have existed previously but are rapidly increasing in incidence or geographic range." Some of the most important EIDs of the past twenty years emerged in Southeast Asia and originated from wildlife. Southeast Asia has been undergoing important demographic and socio-economic changes in the past twenty-five years. Rodents and bats have been important reservoir and important new zoonotic EIDs originated from wild rodents or bats species. Improvement of detection methods and research for reservoir of important EIDs, such as the Nipah virus, led to the discovery of new pathogens. Demographic pressure and international trade development have dramatically increased the demand for livestock and agricultural products. Demographic changes combined with livestock and agricultural intensification are leading to major modifications of the environment and land use in the region.
