疾病影响生命的各个方面—在细胞、组织、器官、个体、人口和生态系统层面。由于生命起源于一种水生媒介，对各种水生分类群中的疾病现象的研究，对疾病的分析、理解、预防和治疗，包括那些现在居住在陆地环境和人类中的有机体，都有着重要的贡献。DAO的目标是全面覆盖这些重要的研究领域。
http://www.int-res.com/journals/dao/guidelines-for-dao-authors/
Diseases affect all facets of life - at the cell, tissue, organ, individual, population and ecosystem level. Since life originated in an aquatic medium, studies of disease phenomena in the wide array of aquatic taxa contribute significantly to the analysis, comprehension, prevention and treatment of diseases in general, including those of organisms now inhabiting terrestrial environments and of humans. DAO aims to fully cover these important research areas
