Sarah Cozart January 30, 2014 Abstract #1 Deaths from infectious diseases have been rapidly declining ever since the 20th century due to the control of the disease and improvements in technology. Public heath actions have been able to keep the number of deaths declining because of the improvements in sanitation and hygiene, discovery of antibiotics, and universal childhood vaccination programs. Local, state and federal efforts to improve the health reinforced the concept of collective “public heath” action, which included actions such as sewage disposal, water treatment, food safety, animal and pest control, along with many others. Along with the improved living conditions, the United States virtually eliminated many of the infectious diseases through the use of vaccinations and antibodies. None of these actions could have been created without the ability to detect, diagnose, and monitor diseases, which was made possible with the advances in technology. .