Clay's respiratory disease claimed his life, aged 57, in 1994.

Has there ever been a time when disease claimed so much of the American attention?

Though he was healthy, in a sense the disease claimed Michael, too.

The disease costs the nation more than $98 billion and claims 187,000 lives a year.

As was typical in the wars of the era, disease claimed far more lives than battle.

The disease has now claimed more than 100 lives, most of them in Britain.

Within a few years, disease would also claim her uncle's life.

In the weeks since, the disease has claimed the lives of other health care workers.

In the end scenes, she goes through several final, deeply emotional moments as the disease claims her life.

These three diseases claim the most victims and are spreading with devastating effect.