Avian Influenza Pre-Pandemic Procurement: Recommendations for the US Federal Government

Many experts fear that an influenza pandemic will occur in the near future. There is currently much debate about how the US should best prepare. Previous US responses give only minimal guidance as the last major influenza pandemic occurred nearly a century ago—before flu viruses had ever been isolated

Disasters Preparedness and Emergency Response: Prevention, Surveillance and Mitigation Planning

This Special Issue welcomes research papers on new approaches that have been applied or are under development to improve preparedness and emergency response. We especially encourage the submission of inter-disciplinary and crosscutting research. We also encourage the submission of manuscripts that focus on various types of disasters, disaster and emergency research, and on policy or management solutions at multiple scales

Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation: Special Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

This Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) has been jointly coordinated by Working Groups I (WGI) and II (WGII) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The report focuses on the relationship between climate change and extreme weather and climate events, the impacts of such events, and the strategies to manage the associated risks. The IPCC was jointly established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in particular to assess in a comprehensive, objective, and transparent manner all the relevant scientific, technical, and socioeconomic information to contribute in understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, the potential impacts, and the adaptation and mitigation options. Beginning in 1990, the IPCC has produced a series of Assessment Reports, Special Reports, Technical Papers, methodologies, and other key documents which have since become the standard references for policymakers and scientists.This Special Report, in particular, contributes to frame the challenge of dealing with extreme weather and climate events as an issue in decisionmaking under uncertainty, analyzing response in the context of risk management. The report consists of nine chapters, covering risk management; observed and projected changes in extreme weather and climate events; exposure and vulnerability to as well as losses resulting from such events; adaptation options from the local to the international scale; the role of sustainable development in modulating risks; and insights from specific case studies

One Health for Dog-mediated Rabies Elimination in Asia. A Collection of Local Experiences

Although an effective human rabies vaccine has existed since 1885, rabies continues to kill an estimated 59,000 people every year. Sixty per cent of these human deaths occur in Asia. The number of animals, especially dogs, who die of rabies is uncalculated. To work towards the global target of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies deaths, the rabies community is applying the One Health approach by jointly focusing on humans and dogs. Written by a multidisciplinary group of scholars and rabies control programme specialists, this book is a collection of experiences and observations on the challenges and successes along the path to rabies control and prevention in Asia. The book: grounds chapters in solid scientific theory, but retains a direct, practice-focused and inspirational approach;provides numerous examples of lessons learned and experience-based knowledge gained across countries at different levels of rabies elimination;brings together and highlights the practices of a strong, international rabies network that works according to the One Health concept. Covering perspectives from almost a dozen Asian countries and a wide range of sectors and disciplines, such as healthcare facilities, veterinary services, laboratories, public health institutes, wildlife research centres and academia, this book is an invaluable resource for rabies practitioners and scholars, but also those working in the wider fields of disease control and cross-sectoral One Health

How to Improve Assessment of Tetanus Immunity in the Emergency Room: A Prospective Cost-Effectiveness, Double Blind Study

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Health-Related Emergency Disaster Risk Management (Health-EDRM)

Disasters such as earthquakes, cyclones, floods, heat waves, nuclear accidents, and large scale pollution incidents take lives and cause exceptionally large health problems. The majority of large-scale disasters affect the most vulnerable populations, which are often comprised of people of extreme ages, in remote living areas, with endemic poverty, and with low literacy. Health-related emergency disaster risk management (Health-EDRM) [1] refers to the systematic analysis and management of health risks surrounding emergencies and disasters; it plays an important role in reducing hazards and vulnerability along with extending preparedness, response, and recovery measures. This concept encompasses risk analyses and interventions, such as accessible early warning systems, timely deployment of relief workers, and the provision of suitable drugs and medical equipment, to decrease the impact of disaster on people before, during, and after disaster events. Disaster risk profiling and interventions can be at the personal/household, community, and system/political levels; they can be targeted at specific health risks including respiratory issues caused by indoor burning, re-emergence of infectious disease due to low vaccination coverage, and gastrointestinal problems resulting from unregulated waste management. Unfortunately, there has been a major gap in the scientific literature regarding Health-EDRM. The aim of this Special Issue of IJERPH was to present papers describing/reporting the latest disaster and health risk analyses, as well as interventions for health-related disaster risk management, in an effort to address this gap and facilitate major global policies and initiatives for disaster risk reduction

Emergence of infectious diseases: Risks and issues for societies

From SARS to avian influenza, Ebola virus and MERS-CoV, infectious diseases have received increasing attention in recent decades from scientists, risk managers, the media and the general public. What explains the constant emergence of infectious diseases? What are the related challenges? In five chapters, experts from different scientific fields analyse the ecological, social, institutional and political dynamics associated with emerging infectious diseases. This book discusses how the concepts, scientific results and action plans of international or governmental organizations are constructed and coordinated. In clear straightforward language, this book explores the continuities and discontinuities that occur with emerging infectious diseases, both in terms of collective action and in our relationship to the biological world

The International Conference "Towards a Global Wastewater Surveillance System for Public Health"

The GLOWACON 2023 international conference highlighted the important role of Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance (WES) as a sentinel system for public health. It showed that WES is not only a cost- effective way to detect epidemic outbreaks early but it is also essential for tracking the spread of global pathogens, which can help with resource mobilization and targeted interventions. The European Health Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), along with international partners, are leading efforts to establish a global consortium for WES. The aim is to improve coordination and adaptability to technological advances. The EU Wastewater Observatory for Public Health has been launched, demonstrating a commitment to integrating WES into policy. This is endorsed by the EU4Health 2024 Work Programme, which mandates wastewater testing to boost preparedness against cross-border health threats. This initiative aligns with the EU's objective of strengthening health system responsiveness and coordination among Member States in the face of such threats. Wastewater-based surveillance is set to become a fundamental part of public health services in the EU and beyond. It supports the EU's policy priority of enhanced preparedness and effective response to cross-border health threats, contributing to the health and safety of EU citizens by enabling timely and coordinated action.JRC.D.2 - Ocean and Wate