Describes and analyzes the transformations in global mechanisms for monitoring infectious disease outbreaks that have occurred since the mid-1990s. This book examines early warning outbreak detection, which operates electronically through the Internet to identify infectious disease outbreaks that may lead to international health emergencies.

Global Public Health Vigilance is the first sociological book to investigate recent changes in how global public health authorities imagine and respond to international threats to human health. This book explores a remarkable period of conceptual innovation during which infectious disease, historically the focus of international disease control, was displaced by "international public health emergencies," a concept that brought new responsibilities to public health authorities, helping to shape a new project of global public health security. Drawing on research conducted at the World Health Organization, this book analyzes the formation of a new social apparatus, global public health vigilance, for detecting, responding to and containing international public health emergencies. Between 1995 and 2005 a new form of global health surveillance was invented, international communicable disease control was securitized, and international health law was fundamentally revised. This timely volume raises critical questions about the institutional effects of the concept of emerging infectious diseases, the role of the news media in global health surveillance, the impact of changes in international health law on public health reasoning and practice, and the reconstitution of the World Health Organization as a power beyond national sovereignty and global governance. It initiates a new research agenda for social science research on public health.

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.

Disease Surveillance: Technological Contributions to Global Health Security reminds us of the continued vulnerability of the world to contagious infections. The book presents examples of disease surveillance systems and evaluates promising advances as well as opportunities for new systems. It also explains how newer technologies can allow countries

Public Health Surveillance (PHS) is of primary importance in this era of emerging health threats like Ebola, MERS-CoV, influenza, natural and man-made disasters, and non-communicable diseases. Transforming Public Health Surveillance is a forward-looking, topical, and up-to-date overview of the issues and solutions facing PHS. It describes the realities of the gaps and impediments to efficient and effective PHS, while presenting a vision for its possibilities and promises in the 21st century. The book gives a roadmap to the goal of public health information being available, when it is needed and where it is needed. Led by Professor Scott McNabb, a leader in the field, an international team of the top-notch public health experts from academia, government, and non-governmental organizations provides the most complete and current update on this core area of public health practice in a decade in 32 chapters. This includes the key roles PHS plays in achieving the global health security agenda and health equity. The authors provide a global perspective for students and professionals in public health. Seven scenarios lay out an aid to understand the context for the lessons of the book, and a comprehensive glossary, questions, bullet points, and learning objectives make this book an excellent tool in the classroom.

Modern transportation allows people, animals, and plants-and the pathogens they carry-to travel more easily than ever before. The ease and speed of travel, tourism, and international trade connect once-remote areas with one another, eliminating many of the geographic and cultural barriers that once limited the spread of disease. Because of our global interconnectedness through transportation, tourism and trade, infectious diseases emerge more frequently; spread greater distances; pass more easily between humans and animals; and evolve into new and more virulent strains. The IOM's Forum on Microbial Threats hosted the workshop "Globalization, Movement of Pathogens (and Their Hosts) and the Revised International Health Regulations" December 16-17, 2008 in order to explore issues related to infectious disease spread in a "borderless" world. Participants discussed the global emergence, establishment, and surveillance of infectious diseases; the complex relationship between travel, trade, tourism, and the spread of infectious diseases; national and international policies for mitigating disease movement locally and globally; and obstacles and opportunities for detecting and containing these potentially wide-reaching and devastating diseases. This document summarizes the workshop.

Rev. ed. of: Principles and practice of public health survrveillance / edited by Steven M. Teutsch, R. Elliott Churchill. 2nd ed. 2000.