The term tropical diseases encompasses a range of infectious diseases, which – as the name suggests – originate in tropical regions. However, they can also occur in other regions, for example, through transmission by returning travellers. Emerging diseases are infections that are new in a population, or are already known but have increased rapidly in incidence or regional distribution. Mosquito-borne viruses such as Zika, dengue and chikungunya viruses generally cause febrile diseases with unspecific flu-like symptoms. In the further course of disease, severe complications such as encephalitis or haemorrhaging can occur. Moreover, neurological abnormalities in newborns are associated with Zika virus infection. In addition to viral diseases, parasitic infections, for example with Echinococcus, Plasmodium, Strongyloides, Trypanosoma or Schistosoma, also play a role in humans. The symptoms of a parasitic infection are extremely variable and sometimes occur after months or years, as is the case with echinococcosis.