Managing epidemics: Key facts about major deadly diseases

Overview

Epidemics of infectious diseases are occurring more often, and spreading faster and further than ever, in many different regions of the world. The background factors of this threat are biological, environmental and lifestyle changes, among others. A potentially fatal combination of newly-discovered diseases, and the re-emergence of many long-established ones, demands urgent responses in all countries. Planning and preparation for epidemic prevention and control are essential. The purpose of this “Managing epidemics” manual is to provide expert guidance on those responses. Although this publication is open to a wide readership, it is primarily intended to help the World Health Organization (WHO) country representatives (WRs) to respond effectively and rapidly at the very start of an outbreak. The manual provides concise and basic up-to-date knowledge with which WRs can advise Ministries of Health in all countries. Specifi cally, it examines and explains in detail a total of 15 different infectious diseases and the necessary responses to each and every one of them. These diseases have been selected because they represent potential international threats for which immediate responses are critical. Nearly all of them are subject to WHO’s International Health Regulations (2005) monitoring, and are part of the Global Health Security Agenda. Perhaps the greatest threat outlined in the manual is an infl uenza pandemic, which is both unpredictable and inevitable. In the worst-case scenario, there will be no protective vaccine for six months or longer after the virus is identifi ed, and even there will be a global shortage of doses. On this and other threats, the manual focuses on practical and indispensable things to know about infectious diseases that are most important for national political and operational decision-makers; it also links readers to more exhaustive WHO guidance.