As a history of infection and contagion, this program tells a story of clever science and dumb luck, horror and hope. Filmed at locations worldwide, the video traces the battles fought against humanity’s oldest foes: diseases such as yellow fever, malaria, syphilis, cholera, smallpox, tuberculosis, polio, and perhaps the deadliest pandemic of all, AIDS. Health workers and epidemiologists on the front lines discuss the dynamics of combating disease, particularly in Africa, where AIDS ravages the continent. The growing problem of antibiotic resistance is also examined. Experts include Dr. David Ho, a virologist at the Pasteur Institute in Paris who has developed some of the most effective HIV drugs. (51 minutes)