BioWatch and Public Health Surveillance

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Author :
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 030918763X
Total Pages : 252 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis BioWatch and Public Health Surveillance by : National Research Council

Download or read book BioWatch and Public Health Surveillance written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-01-25 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following the attacks of September 11, 2001 and the anthrax letters, the ability to detect biological threats as quickly as possible became a top priority. In 2003 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) introduced the BioWatch program-a federal monitoring system intended to speed detection of specific biological agents that could be released in aerosolized form during a biological attack. The present volume evaluates the costs and merits of both the current BioWatch program and the plans for a new generation of BioWatch devices. BioWatch and Public Health Surveillance also examines infectious disease surveillance through hospitals and public health agencies in the United States, and considers whether BioWatch and traditional infectious disease surveillance are redundant or complementary.

Global Infectious Disease Surveillance and Detection

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Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309111145
Total Pages : 284 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Global Infectious Disease Surveillance and Detection by : Institute of Medicine

Download or read book Global Infectious Disease Surveillance and Detection written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2007-11-11 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Early detection is essential to the control of emerging, reemerging, and novel infectious diseases, whether naturally occurring or intentionally introduced. Containing the spread of such diseases in a profoundly interconnected world requires active vigilance for signs of an outbreak, rapid recognition of its presence, and diagnosis of its microbial cause, in addition to strategies and resources for an appropriate and efficient response. Although these actions are often viewed in terms of human public health, they also challenge the plant and animal health communities. Surveillance, defined as "the continual scrutiny of all aspects of occurrence and spread of a disease that are pertinent to effective control", involves the "systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of health data." Disease detection and diagnosis is the act of discovering a novel, emerging, or reemerging disease or disease event and identifying its cause. Diagnosis is "the cornerstone of effective disease control and prevention efforts, including surveillance." Disease surveillance and detection relies heavily on the astute individual: the clinician, veterinarian, plant pathologist, farmer, livestock manager, or agricultural extension agent who notices something unusual, atypical, or suspicious and brings this discovery in a timely way to the attention of an appropriate representative of human public health, veterinary medicine, or agriculture. Most developed countries have the ability to detect and diagnose human, animal, and plant diseases. Global Infectious Disease Surveillance and Detection: Assessing the Challenges-Finding Solutions, Workshop Summary is part of a 10 book series and summarizes the recommendations and presentations of the workshop.

Enhancing BioWatch Capabilities Through Technology and Collaboration

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Author :
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 030945171X
Total Pages : 111 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (94 download)

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Book Synopsis Enhancing BioWatch Capabilities Through Technology and Collaboration by : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Download or read book Enhancing BioWatch Capabilities Through Technology and Collaboration written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-12-29 with total page 111 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) BioWatch program aims to provide an early indication of an aerosolized biological weapon attack. The first generation of BioWatch air samplers were deployed in 2003. The current version of this technology, referred to as Generation 2 (Gen-2), uses daily manual collection and testing of air filters from each monitor, a process that can take 12 to 36 hours to detect the presence of biological pathogens. Until April 2014, DHS pursued a next-generation autonomous detection technology that aimed to shorten the time from sample collection to detection to less than 6 hours, reduce the cost of analysis, and increase the number of detectable biological pathogens. Because of concerns about the cost and effectiveness of the proposed Generation 3 system (Gen-3), DHS cancelled its acquisition plans for the next-generation surveillance system. In response to the cancellation announcement, Congress asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a review of the program and the proposed system enhancements that would have been incorporated in BioWatch Gen-3. However, Mike Walter, BioWatch Program manager, Office of Health Affairs, DHS, said that DHS did not agree with all of GAO's characterizations of the BioWatch program efforts described in this review. In response to this, DHS requested that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conduct a workshop to further explore the findings of the 2015 GAO report and discuss the impact these findings may have with regard to the future development of the technical capabilities of the BioWatch program. Workshop participants also discussed existing and possible collaborations between BioWatch, public health laboratories, and other stakeholders that could contribute to the enhancement of biosurveillance capabilities at the federal, state, and local levels. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System

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Author :
Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 030947177X
Total Pages : 223 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (94 download)

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Book Synopsis Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System by : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Download or read book Strategies for Effective Improvements to the BioWatch System written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2018-04-17 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: BioWatch is the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) system for detecting an aerosolized biological attack using collectors that are positioned strategically across the country to continuously monitor the air for biological threats. As currently deployed, BioWatch collectors draw air through filters that field technicians collect daily and transport to laboratories, where professional technicians analyze the material collected on the filter for evidence of biological threats. As part of the BioWatch program's efforts to enhance its effectiveness and capabilities, particularly with regard to detecting biological threats in challenging indoor environments, DHS requested the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine hold a workshop to explore alternative and effective biodetection systems for aerosolized biological agents that would meet BioWatch's technical and operational requirements, integrate into the existing system architecture and public health infrastructure, and be deployable by 2027. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

Microbe

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Publisher : Amacom Books
ISBN 13 : 9780814428832
Total Pages : 292 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (288 download)

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Book Synopsis Microbe by : Alan P. Zelicoff

Download or read book Microbe written by Alan P. Zelicoff and published by Amacom Books. This book was released on 2005 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Whether a virus is unintentionally released via our modern transportation system, or deliberately by terrorists, even a small scale biological event could have a profound effect on our society. Yet our current public health system is completely unprepared to detect and respond quickly enough to avert a disease related crisis.

Surveillance and Detection

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 46 pages
Book Rating : 4.F/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Surveillance and Detection by : Barbara F. Bullock

Download or read book Surveillance and Detection written by Barbara F. Bullock and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 46 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Perhaps the most frightening apparition of our times is the possibility that a biological agent (bacterim, virus, or toxin) will be used to attack our unprotected civilian population and inflict mass casualties. Until the Fall of 2001, anthrax attacks delivered through the mail to various U.S. senators, to the Governor of New York, and to various media offices, the previously expected use of a weapon of mass destruction against the United States has been a nuclear device that explodes or a chemical cloud that is set adrift. However, today, of all the weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical, and biological), the biological weapons are the most feared by many defense experts but these are the ones that our country is least prepared to deal with Like the concept of a "nuclear winter," the potential destructiveness of a biological attack can come in many forms and is presently very hard to detect and control, and its results could be catastrophic. The unleashing of biological agents against an unprotected civilian population also, in some cases, constitutes the ultimate medical disaster with the capability to completely overwhelm the present health care system. Patients might go to health facilities in unprecedented numbers and demands for intensive care could well exceed available medical resources. Discerning the threat of bioweapons and appropriate responses to them are critical if we are to prevent the devastating effects of bioterrorism.

Effectiveness of National Biosurveillance Systems

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Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780309131926
Total Pages : 20 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (319 download)

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Book Synopsis Effectiveness of National Biosurveillance Systems by : National Academy of Sciences (U.S.). Committee on Effectiveness of National Biosurveillance Systems: BioWatch and the Public Health System

Download or read book Effectiveness of National Biosurveillance Systems written by National Academy of Sciences (U.S.). Committee on Effectiveness of National Biosurveillance Systems: BioWatch and the Public Health System and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For many years, concerns about bioterrorism and emerging infectious diseases have drawn attention to the need for strong surveillance systems. Experts are working to develop new and better ways to detect these biological threats as quickly as possible. One effort in this area is the Department of Homeland Security's BioWatch program. To evaluate the effectiveness of the BioWatch program, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and National Research Council (NRC) convened the Committee on Effectiveness of National Biosurveillance Systems: BioWatch and the Public Health System. This interim report contains no findings and recommendations, but outlines the committee's initial progress.

Countering Bioterrorism

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Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309086078
Total Pages : 105 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (9 download)

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Book Synopsis Countering Bioterrorism by : National Research Council

Download or read book Countering Bioterrorism written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2003-01-03 with total page 105 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The attacks of September 11 and the release of anthrax spores revealed enormous vulnerabilities in the U.S. public-health infrastructure and suggested similar vulnerabilities in the agricultural infrastructure as well. The traditional public health response-surveillance (intelligence), prevention, detection, response, recovery, and attribution-is the paradigm for the national response not only to all forms of terrorism but also to emerging infectious diseases. Thus, investments in research on bioterrorism will have enormous potential for application in the detection, prevention, and treatment of emerging infectious diseases that also are unpredictable and against which we must be prepared. The deciphering of the human genome sequence and the complete elucidation of numerous pathogen genomes, our rapidly increasing understanding of the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis and of immune responses, and new strategies for designing drugs and vaccines all offer unprecedented opportunities to use science to counter bioterrorist threats. But these same developments also allow science to be misused to create new agents of mass destruction. Hence the effort to confront bioterrorism must be a global one. Countering Bioterrorism makes the following recommendations: Recommendation 1: All agencies with responsibility for homeland security should work together to establish stronger and more meaningful working ties between the intelligence, S&T, and public health communities. Recommendation 2: Federal agencies should work cooperatively and in collaboration with industry to develop and evaluate rapid, sensitive, and specific early-detection technologies. Recommendation 3: Create a global network for detection and surveillance, making use of computerized methods for real-time reporting and analysis to rapidly detect new patterns of disease locally, nationally, and ultimately- internationally. The use of high-throughput methodologies that are being increasingly utilized in modern biological research should be an important component of this expanded and highly automated surveillance strategy. Recommendation 4: Use knowledge of complex biological patterns and high-throughput laboratory automation to classify and diagnose infections in patients in primary care settings. Recommendation 5: USDA should create an agency for control and prevention of plant disease. This agency should have the capabilities necessary to deal effectively with biothreats.

Early Warning for Infectious Disease Outbreak

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Publisher : Academic Press
ISBN 13 : 0128124830
Total Pages : 388 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (281 download)

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Book Synopsis Early Warning for Infectious Disease Outbreak by : Weizhong Yang

Download or read book Early Warning for Infectious Disease Outbreak written by Weizhong Yang and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2017-04-25 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Early Warning for Infectious Disease Outbreak: Theory and Practice is divided into three parts, with the first section introducing basic theory and key technologies of early warning and the basic principles of infectious disease surveillance. The second section introduces the technical details in the process of establishment, operation and usage of CIDARS and Pudong Syndromic Surveillance and the Early Warning System of the Shanghai World Expo. The third part explores the study of early warning technology, collecting some useful exploration in the fields of infectious diseases involving sentinel setting, data analysis, influence factors study, calculation and evaluation of early warning models. Provide insights into the theory and practice of early warning systems that have been evaluated and shown to be effective Presents a synopsis of current state-of-the-art practices and a starting point for the development and evaluation of new methods Covers applied research and complete case studies that focus on local, regional, national and international implementation Includes techniques from other fields, such as intelligence and engineering Explores future innovations in biosurveillance, including advances in analytical methods, modeling and simulation Addresses policy and organizational issues related to the construction of biosurveillance systems

Disasters and Public Health

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Publisher : Butterworth-Heinemann
ISBN 13 : 0128019891
Total Pages : 538 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (28 download)

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Book Synopsis Disasters and Public Health by : Bruce W. Clements

Download or read book Disasters and Public Health written by Bruce W. Clements and published by Butterworth-Heinemann. This book was released on 2016-02-23 with total page 538 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Disasters and Public Health: Planning and Response, Second Edition, examines the critical intersection between emergency management and public health. It provides a succinct overview of the actions that may be taken before, during, and after a major public health emergency or disaster to reduce morbidity and mortality. Five all-new chapters at the beginning of the book describe how policy and law drive program structures and strategies leading to the establishment and maintenance of preparedness capabilities. New topics covered in this edition include disaster behavioral health, which is often the most expensive and longest-term recovery challenge in a public health emergency, and community resilience, a valuable resource upon which most emergency programs and responses depend. The balance of the book provides an in-depth review of preparedness, response, and recovery challenges for 15 public health threats. These chapters also provide lessons learned from responses to each threat, giving users a well-rounded introduction to public health preparedness and response that is rooted in experience and practice. Contains seven new chapters that cover law, vulnerable populations, behavioral health, community resilience, preparedness capabilities, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, and foodborne threats Provides clinical updates by new MD co-author Includes innovative preparedness approaches and lessons learned from current and historic public health and medical responses that enhance clarity and provide valuable examples to readers Presents increased international content and case studies for a global perspective on public health

Review of the Department of Homeland Security's Approach to Risk Analysis

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Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309159245
Total Pages : 160 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Review of the Department of Homeland Security's Approach to Risk Analysis by : National Research Council

Download or read book Review of the Department of Homeland Security's Approach to Risk Analysis written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2010-10-10 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The events of September 11, 2001 changed perceptions, rearranged national priorities, and produced significant new government entities, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) created in 2003. While the principal mission of DHS is to lead efforts to secure the nation against those forces that wish to do harm, the department also has responsibilities in regard to preparation for and response to other hazards and disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, and other "natural" disasters. Whether in the context of preparedness, response or recovery from terrorism, illegal entry to the country, or natural disasters, DHS is committed to processes and methods that feature risk assessment as a critical component for making better-informed decisions. Review of the Department of Homeland Security's Approach to Risk Analysis explores how DHS is building its capabilities in risk analysis to inform decision making. The department uses risk analysis to inform decisions ranging from high-level policy choices to fine-scale protocols that guide the minute-by-minute actions of DHS employees. Although DHS is responsible for mitigating a range of threats, natural disasters, and pandemics, its risk analysis efforts are weighted heavily toward terrorism. In addition to assessing the capability of DHS risk analysis methods to support decision-making, the book evaluates the quality of the current approach to estimating risk and discusses how to improve current risk analysis procedures. Review of the Department of Homeland Security's Approach to Risk Analysis recommends that DHS continue to build its integrated risk management framework. It also suggests that the department improve the way models are developed and used and follow time-tested scientific practices, among other recommendations.

Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology

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Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309465184
Total Pages : 189 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (94 download)

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Book Synopsis Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology by : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Download or read book Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2019-01-05 with total page 189 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scientific advances over the past several decades have accelerated the ability to engineer existing organisms and to potentially create novel ones not found in nature. Synthetic biology, which collectively refers to concepts, approaches, and tools that enable the modification or creation of biological organisms, is being pursued overwhelmingly for beneficial purposes ranging from reducing the burden of disease to improving agricultural yields to remediating pollution. Although the contributions synthetic biology can make in these and other areas hold great promise, it is also possible to imagine malicious uses that could threaten U.S. citizens and military personnel. Making informed decisions about how to address such concerns requires a realistic assessment of the capabilities that could be misused. Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology explores and envisions potential misuses of synthetic biology. This report develops a framework to guide an assessment of the security concerns related to advances in synthetic biology, assesses the levels of concern warranted for such advances, and identifies options that could help mitigate those concerns.

Reopening Public Facilities After a Biological Attack

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Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309165059
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Reopening Public Facilities After a Biological Attack by : National Research Council

Download or read book Reopening Public Facilities After a Biological Attack written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2005-08-18 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The anthrax attacks in fall 2001 spurred an extensive and costly decontamination effort where many decisions had to be made about which sites required cleanup, what method to use, how to determine the effectiveness of the cleanup, and how "clean" the building had to be for reoccupation. As part of a project funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and managed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the National Research Council was asked to consider the criteria that must be met for a cleanup to be declared successful, allowing the reoccupation of a facility. The report finds that efficiently sampling and characterizing a pathogen is critical for choosing the best remediation strategy. However, there should be no universal standard for deciding when a building is safe to re-enter because varying pathogen amounts and characteristics could require different strategies. The report offers a flowchart for decision-makers that includes questions about the characteristics of the pathogen; how far it has spread; whether it is transmissible between humans; and how long it will survive to pose a threat. The report also recommends that a risk-assessment approach be adopted as part of a strategy for achieving a "socially acceptable" standard for cleanup.

Climate Change, Public Health, and the Law

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Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1108417620
Total Pages : 469 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (84 download)

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Book Synopsis Climate Change, Public Health, and the Law by : Michael Burger

Download or read book Climate Change, Public Health, and the Law written by Michael Burger and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2018-10-25 with total page 469 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents comprehensively the currently un-mapped constellation of issues related to climate change, public health, and the law.

Animal Health at the Crossroads

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Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309092590
Total Pages : 287 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (9 download)

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Book Synopsis Animal Health at the Crossroads by : National Research Council

Download or read book Animal Health at the Crossroads written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2005-12-17 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The confirmed case of "mad cow" disease (BSE) in June 2005 illustrates the economic impact of disease outbreaks, as additional countries closed their markets to U.S. beef and beef products. Emerging diseases also threaten public health-11 out of 12 of the major global disease outbreaks over the last decade were from zoonotic agents (that spread from animals to humans). Animal Health at the Crossroads: Preventing, Detecting, and Diagnosing Animal Diseases finds that, in general, the U.S. animal health framework has been slow to take advantage of state-of-the-art technologies being used now to protect public health; better diagnostic tests for identifying all animal diseases should be made a priority. The report also recommends that the nation establish a high-level, authoritative, and accountable coordinating mechanism to engage and enhance partnerships among local, state, and federal agencies, and the private sector.

Evaluating Testing, Costs, and Benefits of Advanced Spectroscopic Portals

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Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309305683
Total Pages : 31 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (93 download)

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Book Synopsis Evaluating Testing, Costs, and Benefits of Advanced Spectroscopic Portals by : National Research Council

Download or read book Evaluating Testing, Costs, and Benefits of Advanced Spectroscopic Portals written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-01-25 with total page 31 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This letter is the abbreviated version of an update of the interim report on testing, evaluation, costs, and benefits of advanced spectroscopic portals (ASPs), issued by the National Academies' Committee on Advanced Spectroscopic Portals in June 2009 (NRC 2009). This letter incorporates findings of the committee since that report was written, and it sharpens and clarifies the messages of the interim report based on subsequent committee investigations of more recent work by the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO). The key messages in this letter, which is the final report from the committee, are stated briefly in the synopsis on the next page and described more fully in the sections that follow. The committee provides the context for this letter, and then gives advice on: testing, evaluation, assessing costs and benefits, and deployment of advanced spectroscopic portals. The letter closes with a reiteration of the key points. The letter is abbreviated in that a small amount of information that may not be released publicly for security or law-enforcement reasons has been redacted from the version delivered to you in October 2010, but the findings and recommendations remain intact.

Achieving Sustainable Global Capacity for Surveillance and Response to Emerging Diseases of Zoonotic Origin

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Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309128188
Total Pages : 152 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Achieving Sustainable Global Capacity for Surveillance and Response to Emerging Diseases of Zoonotic Origin by : National Research Council

Download or read book Achieving Sustainable Global Capacity for Surveillance and Response to Emerging Diseases of Zoonotic Origin written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2009-01-22 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the biggest threats today is the uncertainty surrounding the emergence of a novel pathogen or the re-emergence of a known infectious disease that might result in disease outbreaks with great losses of human life and immense global economic consequences. Over the past six decades, most of the emerging infectious disease events in humans have been caused by zoonotic pathogens-those infectious agents that are transmitted from animals to humans. In June 2008, the Institute of Medicine's and National Research Council's Committee on Achieving Sustainable Global Capacity for Surveillance and Response to Emerging Diseases of Zoonotic Origin convened a workshop. This workshop addressed the reasons for the transmission of zoonotic disease and explored the current global capacity for zoonotic disease surveillance.