Pandemic planning updates

Why predicting the next Influenza pandemic is difficult and how scientists can best prepare

In planning for a future influenza pandemic, most experts agree that two things are known for certain—there will be another pandemic someday, and nobody can predict when. In a commentary in the May 9, 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, scientists at the National Institutes of Health discuss why predicting the next pandemic is so difficult and outline steps that can be taken to better understand the behavior of the virus. Drawing upon the lessons of past pandemics, the authors analyze the significance of the highly pathogenic avian influenza strain H5N1, which has spread among bird populations and infected hundreds of humans in the last decade. In preparing for the next influenza pandemic, however, the authors argue that researchers and public health officials should not focus solely on H5N1 strains, because the next pandemic might be caused by a different influenza virus.

Instead, research efforts should go beyond H5N1 and focus broadly on influenza viruses. This entails improving our knowledge of the basic biological and ecological means by which influenza A viruses infect birds; enhancing surveillance of infected animals and the circulation of influenza virus globally; understanding how the virus evolves and jumps from birds and other animals to humans; finding new approaches to vaccine design and vaccination; and developing new antivirals and diagnostics. Such broad activities can also help combat seasonal influenza.

“The next influenza pandemic: can it be predicted?” by J Taubenberger, D Morens and A Fauci. JAMA DOI: 10.1001/jama.297.18.2025 (2007).

US preparedness to respond to Avian Influenza A (H5N1) strengthened by CDC/CSTE partnership

A three-day training course which provides a standardized curriculum to state and local public-health responders about how to identify and control human infections and illness associated with Avian Influenza A (H5N1) is being released on-line today. The course, entitled ‘CDC/CSTE Rapid Response Training: The Role of Public Health in a Multi-Agency Response to Avian Influenza in the United States’ is the result of a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE). The course is available at http://www.cste.org/influenza/avian.asp

‘Beyond checklists: developing and implementing business plans for pandemic Influenza’

On Friday, June 15, 2007 CIDRAP will present a webinar with the above subject. Presented by Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, Karen Dye, MBA, CBCP, and Barry Cardoza, participants will learn about:

* The current level of threat to businesses from pandemic influenza
* Setting goals and priorities for pandemic preparedness, response, and recovery planning
* Assessing critical business operations and identifying essential employees
* Evaluating and leveraging current business continuity plans in the pandemic planning process
* Defining a multifunction pandemic planning team
* Determining planning assumptions under a range of scenarios from a mild to a severe pandemic
* What other companies are planning
* Strategies to test pandemic plans, including tabletop and functional exercises.

Click here to register.

•Date: 17th May 2007 • Region: US •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic resources
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