For many around the world, next week is a holiday that
signifies something far more important than giving and receiving gifts. For others it may simply be a day like any
other. Regardless of your nationality or
religious belief, the spirit of giving lives in us all. It is also a time of reflection and
prediction, so it was with interest I read the WHO’s published list of the Top
Emerging Diseases likely to cause major epidemics.
signifies something far more important than giving and receiving gifts. For others it may simply be a day like any
other. Regardless of your nationality or
religious belief, the spirit of giving lives in us all. It is also a time of reflection and
prediction, so it was with interest I read the WHO’s published list of the Top
Emerging Diseases likely to cause major epidemics.
According to the WHO, a panel of scientists and public
health experts met in Geneva to prioritize the top 5 to 10 emerging pathogens that
are likely to cause severe outbreaks in the near future, which few or
no medical countermeasures exist. The initial list of diseases needing
urgent R&D attention are Crimean Congo
Hemorrhagic Fever , Ebola
Virus , Marburg Virus ,
Lassa Fever , MERS
and SARS
Coronavirus diseases, Nipah
and Rift
Valley Fever . Three other diseases
were designated as serious, requiring action by WHO to promote R&D as soon
as possible including Chikungunya ,
Severe
Fever with Thrombocytopaenia Syndrome , and Zika
Virus .
health experts met in Geneva to prioritize the top 5 to 10 emerging pathogens that
are likely to cause severe outbreaks in the near future, which few or
no medical countermeasures exist. The initial list of diseases needing
urgent R&D attention are Crimean Congo
Hemorrhagic Fever , Ebola
Virus , Marburg Virus ,
Lassa Fever , MERS
and SARS
Coronavirus diseases, Nipah
and Rift
Valley Fever . Three other diseases
were designated as serious, requiring action by WHO to promote R&D as soon
as possible including Chikungunya ,
Severe
Fever with Thrombocytopaenia Syndrome , and Zika
Virus .
According to the WHO missive, this priority list forms the
backbone of the new WHO Blueprint for R&D preparedness to help focus
accelerated R&D programs on the world’s most dangerous pathogens – those most
prone to generate epidemics. The intent by identifying these pathogens is also
to advocate for the initiation or enhancement of the R&D process to develop
diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics for these identified diseases. Additionally, the blueprint will also consider
behavioural interventions, and how to fill critical gaps in scientific
knowledge that will help in the design of better disease control measures.
backbone of the new WHO Blueprint for R&D preparedness to help focus
accelerated R&D programs on the world’s most dangerous pathogens – those most
prone to generate epidemics. The intent by identifying these pathogens is also
to advocate for the initiation or enhancement of the R&D process to develop
diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics for these identified diseases. Additionally, the blueprint will also consider
behavioural interventions, and how to fill critical gaps in scientific
knowledge that will help in the design of better disease control measures.
What’s interesting in looking into the routes of
transmission is several of these viruses are transmitted via vectors such as
mosquitoes or ticks while others are zoonotic in nature and have found a way to
infect humans and further transmission by direct human to human contact. As the year draws to an end, this list
reminds us yet again how small our world is.
Ebola, which was once thought to be a disease of Africa, has shown that
it can with ease move around the world.
As our world increases in population, we generate more waste which
provides fertile breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and as our cities grow and
expand to areas that were once fields and forests we live closer to areas with
higher rodents and other animals that have the ability to spread diseases
directly to us or through other routes such as tick bites.
transmission is several of these viruses are transmitted via vectors such as
mosquitoes or ticks while others are zoonotic in nature and have found a way to
infect humans and further transmission by direct human to human contact. As the year draws to an end, this list
reminds us yet again how small our world is.
Ebola, which was once thought to be a disease of Africa, has shown that
it can with ease move around the world.
As our world increases in population, we generate more waste which
provides fertile breeding grounds for mosquitoes, and as our cities grow and
expand to areas that were once fields and forests we live closer to areas with
higher rodents and other animals that have the ability to spread diseases
directly to us or through other routes such as tick bites.
As this season of giving and receiving draws near, I hope
you’ll take a few moments to reflect on your past year, your health, the health
of your loved ones and the health of those who live in areas that have been
ravaged by outbreaks. While there are
certainly a number of materialistic things I would like to see under the tree
Christmas Day, for 2016 I hope for a year where researchers can make tremendous
strides in developing vaccines or other treatments to fight these emerging
diseases. All I truly want for Christmas
is a world where fewer people will have to suffer, be it from communicable
diseases, hospital acquired infections or emerging pathogens.
you’ll take a few moments to reflect on your past year, your health, the health
of your loved ones and the health of those who live in areas that have been
ravaged by outbreaks. While there are
certainly a number of materialistic things I would like to see under the tree
Christmas Day, for 2016 I hope for a year where researchers can make tremendous
strides in developing vaccines or other treatments to fight these emerging
diseases. All I truly want for Christmas
is a world where fewer people will have to suffer, be it from communicable
diseases, hospital acquired infections or emerging pathogens.
Bugging Off!
Nicole
