Outbreak science: recent progress in the detection and response to outbreaks of infectious diseases

The frequency of reported outbreaks of infectious diseases has increased over the past 3 decades, with predictions that this rise will continue. Outbreak response continues to follow nine basic principles: establish the presence of an outbreak, verify the diagnosis, make a case definition, find cases and contacts, conduct basic epidemiology, test hypotheses, institute control measures, communicate the situation and establish ongoing surveillance. Within each of these areas, significant advances have been made over the past 5 years using progress in digital, laboratory, epidemiology and anthropological equipment or techniques. Irrespective of these, future outbreaks of high-consequence are inevitable, and vigilance and preparation must continue in order to prevent significant mortality, morbidity and socio-economic crisis.