Something new to Fallout 76 is Diseases in which the player can catch when fighting monsters or stepping on things like rusty nail traps. This adds another layer of making it harder to survive when out in the wasteland on top of managing your hunger and thirst.

Diseases are detrimental effects to your status and abilities which you can get by:

• Drinking dirty water
• Eating uncooked food
• Sleeping on beds which are on the floor like a sleeping bag or mattress on the floor.
• Being attacked by a diseased monster (they have a biohazard sign next to their name)
• Swimming in irradiated water
• Moving through a toxic environment where radiation is without a hazmat suit or gas mask.

Diseases just make things that little bit harder such as increases your thirst or making you bleed out when attacked to health is lost.

They are different from Mutations though, as diseases are limited for a certain amount of time but if you die will still be right there when you respawn. You can remove a Diseases though if you want by taking antibiotics or find a Diseases Cure which will cure one disease.

List of Known Diseases in Fallout 76