Preparedness activities and research needs in addressing emerging infectious animal and zoonotic diseases

Abstract

Emerging infectious animal and zoonotic diseases can inflict significant losses on animal production and public health, and threaten the safety and security of the food system. Threat analysis (forecasting), which monitors the measurable risk indicators of disease emergence, should be in place before the emergence of any threat. Animal and public health authorities develop and regularly re-evaluate disease preparedness, response and recovery plans, based on the 'One Health' principle. These plans should include surveillance, biosecurity measures, communication channels and training for personnel. Scenarios for outbreaks of natural emerging infectious disease or bioterrorist events should be prepared and practised. National and international legislation should be regularly updated to provide a robust legal basis to manage outbreaks. Reference laboratories should have reliable and validated diagnostic tools for rapid, high-throughput testing. Strict biosafety, biocontainment and biosecurity control measures must be implemented in laboratories in order to prevent the accidental or malicious release of pathogens. The pharmaceutical industry should be incentivised to develop vaccines and/or antiviral drugs against disease outbreaks. Conventions between public authorities and the pharmaceutical industry should guarantee adequate stockpiling of the pharmaceuticals needed to control large-scale outbreaks. In the early phase of disease emergence (early warning), veterinarians and stakeholders play an important role in early detection at the farm level. Upon notification, veterinary authorities must take rapid response measures to limit disease spread. National and international short- and medium-term strategic research agendas should be developed, based on a comprehensive gap analysis and horizon scan. This planning will help to guide funding agencies and non-governmental organisations in their quest to support relevant research.

The World Organisation for Animal Health: notification of animal diseases

“…In this context, surveillance data and early notification and surveillance systems play an important role in controlling and preventing the spread of diseases (2,25,26,27). Timely disease notification to the OIE is particularly important to give countries at risk the time to take the necessary precautions, by enhancing their biosecurity and surveillance and, where applicable, implementing preventive vaccination.…”

‘It's our job’: Constraints to investigation of atypical disease events—Opinions of Australian veterinarians

“…A majority of EIDs are zoonoses that have their origins in animals, especially wildlife, and which subsequently spread to humans potentially through a domestic animal reservoir (Aguirre, 2017; Mackenzie et al., 2013). This continuing threat of spillover necessitates frontline practitioners in both medical and veterinary sectors to be capable and willing to respond to atypical disease presentations with cognizance of the potential for significant downstream impacts on both human and animal health and well‐being (Cardoen et al., 2017; Mendez et al., 2014; Wright et al., 2008). Previous outbreaks in Australia and overseas have been marked by reports of practitioners who felt under‐prepared to respond effectively due to knowledge gaps as well as inadequate infection prevention and control (IPC) and biosecurity practices (Department of Health & Ageing, 2011; Mendez et al., 2014; SteelFisher et al., 2015).…”

Need for integrated surveillance at human-animal interface for rapid detection & response to emerging coronavirus infections using One Health approach

“…Animal and public health authorities should collaborate to develop protocols for surveillance, and capacity building for responding to zoonotic infections. In addition, appropriate research needs to be undertaken and results of national and international research be integrated into surveillance and response protocols 21 , so that evidence-based surveillance and response be undertaken. Data and science should be the cornerstones of planning, implementation and monitoring epidemiology of pandemic-prone diseases.…”