Unexpected Rift Valley Fever Outbreak, Northern Mauritania

During September–October 2010, an unprecedented outbreak of Rift Valley fever was reported in the northern Sahelian region of Mauritania after exceptionally heavy rainfall. Camels probably played a central role in the local amplification of the virus. We describe the main clinical signs (hemorrhagic fever, icterus, and nervous symptoms) observed during the outbreak

Tábanos de las Guyanas: biología, importancia veterinaria y métodos de control.

70 páginasThis work complements the document The cattletick Boophilus microplus: previously distributed to cattle producers in French Guiana, and it is a continuation and completion of work carried out within the framework of INRA livestock production activities. This document presents the control methods currently available, which continue to be inadequate for controlling the parasites, then outline research projects which EMVT-French Guiana has undertaken in the field. (MIBA) Este trabajo complementa el documento La garra bovina Boophilus microplus: previamente distribuido a los ganaderos de la Guayana Francesa, y es una continuación y culminación del trabajo realizado en el marco de las actividades de producción pecuaria del INRA. Este documento presenta los métodos de control actualmente disponibles, que continúan siendo inadecuados para controlar los parásitos, luego describe los proyectos de investigación que EMVT-Guayana Francesa ha emprendido en el campo

Developing a Tool to Cost Gaps in Implementation of IHR (2005) Core Capacities

In May 2013, over 100 WHO Member States (MS) reported not having met their national International Health Regulations (2005) core capacity requirements. Many MS need support in identifying activities and associated costs to support building capacity. WHO developed a costing tool organized by the IHR (2005) Core Capacities and public health core functions. The tool will provide users with estimated annualized costs for developing and sustaining public health activities relevant to IHR (2005) implementation. Providing National Focal Points with costs estimates and generalized plans of action facilitates allocation of funds and development of IHR capacities and public health functions

IHR-PVS National Bridging Workshops, a tool to operationalize the collaboration between human and animal health while advancing sector-specific goals in countries.

Collaborative, One Health approaches support governments to effectively prevent, detect and respond to emerging health challenges, such as zoonotic diseases, that arise at the human-animal-environmental interfaces. To overcome these challenges, operational and outcome-oriented tools that enable animal health and human health services to work specifically on their collaboration are required. While international capacity and assessment frameworks such as the IHR-MEF (International Health Regulations-Monitoring and Evaluation Framework) and the OIE PVS (Performance of Veterinary Services) Pathway exist, a tool and process that could assess and strengthen the interactions between human and animal health sectors was needed. Through a series of six phased pilots, the IHR-PVS National Bridging Workshop (NBW) method was developed and refined. The NBW process gathers human and animal health stakeholders and follows seven sessions, scheduled across three days. The outputs from each session build towards the next one, following a structured process that goes from gap identification to joint planning of corrective measures. The NBW process allows human and animal health sector representatives to jointly identify actions that support collaboration while advancing evaluation goals identified through the IHR-MEF and the OIE PVS Pathway. By integrating sector-specific and collaborative goals, the NBWs help countries in creating a realistic, concrete and practical joint road map for enhanced compliance to international standards as well as strengthened preparedness and response for health security at the human-animal interface

Advancing One Human-Environmental-Animal Health for Global Health Security: What does the evidence say?

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic vividly illustrates that the emergence of a new lethal pathogen of probable animal origin in one part of the world affects public health everywhere. In this article, we review the contributions of human-animal-environmental (ONE-HEALTH [OH]) approaches to improving global health security (GHS) across a range of health hazards and summarise contemporary evidence of incremental benefits of an OH approach and impact on reporting to FAO, OIE and WHO. Using IHR (2005) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework and OIE Performance of Veterinary Services Pathway (PVS) reports, case studies and a narrative literature review, we assess progress of inter-sectoral OH approaches to build human capacity, bridges between stakeholders and institutional adaptation at national and international levels to contribute to global health security (GHS) across a range of health hazards. Examples from joint health services and infrastructure, surveillance-response, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance, food safety and food security, environmental hazards, water and sanitation, and zoonoses control clearly show incremental benefits of OH approaches. OH approaches appear to be most effective and sustainable in the prevention, preparedness and early detection of evolving risks/hazards and the evidence base for their application is strongest in the control of endemic and neglected tropical diseases. Significant gaps remain at the OH interface to rapidly detect and reduce the risk of widespread community transmission of new and re-emerging infections. For benefits to be maximised and extended, improved One Health Operationalisation (OHO) is needed with strengthening of multisectoral coordination mechanisms, for example by fostering a closer interaction between the IHR (2005) and OIE PVS Pathways. Case studies show evidence for OHO at the institutional and community level. The FAO, OIE and WHO currently play pivotal roles in stimulating OHO at the national and regional levels but will need increased support and allies to both strengthen current activities as well as address a wider set of health hazards across the Socio Ecological System. Progress in sustained OHO should be urgently prioritised at global, regional and national levels by building on, and inclusively broadening existing institutional collaborations at the wildlife-domestic animal-environmental-human interface to better reflect evolving risks and hazards across the Socio-Ecological System

Prediction, Assessment of the Rift Valley Fever Activity in East and Southern Africa 2006–2008 and Possible Vector Control Strategies

Historical outbreaks of Rift Valley fever (RVF) since the early 1950s have been associated with cyclical patterns of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, which results in elevated and widespread rainfall over the RVF endemic areas of Africa. Using satellite measurements of global and regional elevated sea surface temperatures, elevated rainfall, and satellite derived-normalized difference vegetation index data, we predicted with lead times of 2–4 months areas where outbreaks of RVF in humans and animals were expected and occurred in the Horn of Africa, Sudan, and Southern Africa at different time periods from September 2006 to March 2008. Predictions were confirmed by entomological field investigations of virus activity and by reported cases of RVF in human and livestock populations. This represents the first series of prospective predictions of RVF outbreaks and provides a baseline for improved early warning, control, response planning, and mitigation into the future