Hot spots in a wired world: WHO surveillance of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• The increasing threat of microbial resurgence heightens global vulnerability to infectious diseases, including emerging, established, and deliberately caused ones.
• Effective infectious disease intelligence, gathered through sensitive surveillance, is the primary defense against these threats.
• The tools for detecting and managing deliberate outbreaks are identical to those used for natural outbreaks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the infrastructure and procedures for global outbreak alert and response.
• To highlight the importance of early awareness and preparedness in combating infectious disease threats.
• To discuss the impact of global interconnectedness on outbreak reporting.

Main Methods:

• Formalization of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) by WHO in April 2000.
• Integration of 110 existing networks with new mechanisms and a real-time disease intelligence tool.
• Implementation of a four-phase outbreak alert and response procedure: detection, verification, real-time alerts, and rapid response.

Main Results:

• The GOARN provides a framework uniting diverse networks for enhanced outbreak response.
• A computer-driven tool facilitates real-time collection of disease intelligence.
• Informal sources, like press and internet reports, now constitute a significant portion (65%) of initial outbreak news.

Conclusions:

• Sensitive surveillance and robust response networks are essential for managing the global microbial threat.
• Global interconnectedness is reducing traditional barriers to outbreak reporting.
• Preparedness strategies must address both known risks and unexpected events in infectious disease control.