Sustaining global surveillance and response to emerging zoonotic diseases

H1N1 ("swine flu"), SARS, mad cow disease, and HIV/AIDS are a few examples of zoonotic diseases-diseases transmitted between humans and animals.

Zoonotic diseases are a growing concern given multiple factors: their often novel and unpredictable nature, their ability to emerge anywhere and spread rapidly around the globe, and their major economic toll on several disparate industries. Infectious disease surveillance systems are used to detect this threat to human and animal health.

By systematically collecting data on the occurrence of infectious diseases in humans and animals, investigators can track the spread of disease and provide an early warning to human and animal health officials, nationally and internationally, for follow-up and response.

Unfortunately, and for many reasons, current disease surveillance has been ineffective or untimely in alerting officials to emerging zoonotic diseases. Sustaining Global Surveillance and Response to Emerging Zoonotic Diseases assesses some of the disease surveillance systems around the world, and recommends ways to improve early detection and response.

The book presents solutions for improved coordination between human and animal health sectors, and among governments and international organizations. Parties seeking to improve the detection and response to zoonotic diseases-including U.S. government and international health policy makers, researchers, epidemiologists, human health clinicians, and veterinarians-can use this book to help curtail the threat zoonotic diseases pose to economies, societies, and health. Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Introduction2 Making the Case for Zoonotic Disease Surveillance3 Drivers of Zoonotic Diseases4 Achieving an Effective Zoonotic Disease Surveillance System5 Incentives for Disease Surveillance, Reporting, and Response6 Sustainable Financing for Global Disease Surveillance andResponse7 Governance Challenges for Zoonotic Disease Surveillance,Reporting, and Response8 Recommendations, Challenges, and Looking to the FutureAppendix A: Glossary of TermsAppendix B: Surveillance and Response of Select Zoonotic DiseaseOutbreaksAppendix C: Novel Human Pathogen SpeciesAppendix D: Public Committee Meeting AgendasAppendix E: Committee Biosketches