The story

The outbreak of swine flu, which appears to have originated in Mexico, has crossed borders and datelines, spooked the travel industry -- and thrown up some unfamiliar and uncertain terminology.

Just what is the World Health Organization, based in Geneva, Switzerland? How does it differ from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based in Atlanta, Georgia?

What is the difference between an infectious disease and a contagious disease? Or between being held in quarantine and being held in isolation?

CNN attempts to make sense of the terminology.

• A contagious disease is a condition that is spread through direct contact between people, for example through two individuals touching each other. Read full article »

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