Our Vax Facts Friday series tests your knowledge with a trivia question from Just the Vax, the Vaccine Education Center's vaccine trivia game!

Although adenoviruses are a ubiquitous pathogen, most people are more familiar with the generalized, cold-like symptoms they cause than the name. Adenovirus infections tend to occur seasonally and typically, are not severe. However, like many respiratory infections, adenoviruses spread easily in crowded environments, which is why military barracks are uniquely susceptible to outbreaks, and as with any outbreak — the more cases that occur, the more likely some will be severe. 

Throughout history, people have faced infectious diseases. Because we transmit many of these infections to others, it’s an important societal goal to reduce their potential impact in our communities. In the past few centuries, we have made marked progress, and much of that has been the result of a field of science known as epidemiology. Epidemiology is a discipline focused on where, why and how disease occurs in a population in order to inform prevention strategies.

When we think of memory, typically we think of our ability to recall facts, dates, or past experiences.

Science is the process by which we develop knowledge. Over time, and with many experiments, a consensus about a scientific topic develops. However, science is ever evolving, meaning it changes as new information comes to light. That does not mean that previous research is outdated or irrelevant. Rather, it demonstrates that science builds on past understanding.