Bringing together emerging and endemic zoonoses surveillance: shared challenges and a common solution

Abstract

Early detection of disease outbreaks in human and animal populations is crucial to the effective surveillance of emerging infectious diseases. However, there are marked geographical disparities in capacity for early detection of outbreaks, which limit the effectiveness of global surveillance strategies. Linking surveillance approaches for emerging and neglected endemic zoonoses, with a renewed focus on existing disease problems in developing countries, has the potential to overcome several limitations and to achieve additional health benefits. Poor reporting is a major constraint to the surveillance of both emerging and endemic zoonoses, and several important barriers to reporting can be identified: (i) a lack of tangible benefits when reports are made; (ii) a lack of capacity to enforce regulations; (iii) poor communication among communities, institutions and sectors; and (iv) complexities of the international regulatory environment. Redirecting surveillance efforts to focus on endemic zoonoses in developing countries offers a pragmatic approach that overcomes some of these barriers and provides support in regions where surveillance capacity is currently weakest. In addition, this approach addresses immediate health and development problems, and provides an equitable and sustainable mechanism for building the culture of surveillance and the core capacities that are needed for all zoonotic pathogens, including emerging disease threats.

Difficulties in estimating the human burden of canine rabies

“…Increased priority for and better enforcement of surveillance across all diseases in Africa and Asia would benefit many stakeholders. They would allow better monitoring of health interventions and the earlier detection of emerging heath issues (Halliday et al, 2012). …”

One Health research and training and government support for One Health in South Asia

“…There has been a lesser effort to support research and policy development for managing endemic zoonotic diseases, despite evidence of the high impact of these diseases (6). The challenge is to extend the OH approach from disease issues of global concern to endemic or neglected zoonoses of national and regional concern (9), which in itself is likely to strengthen the ability to detect newly emerging diseases (10). …”

Bovine rabies in Turkey: patterns of infection and implications for costs and control

“…Such compensation schemes will unfortunately not be feasible for most developing countries in Asia and Africa. Such schemes require a pre-existing ownership recording system and sufficient financial resources to provide (timely) compensation [23]. In addition, compensation schemes are susceptible to misuse, especially when not only submitted and rabies-affected cattle are compensated but also livestock that are culled during an outbreak.…”

“…It can be concluded that in Turkey, spatial differences in bovine rabies occurs based on the reservoir host (domestic dog or fox) involved, but spatial biases in surveillance intensity are clearly also present. Many possible reasons for underreporting have been identified, including among others: lack of awareness, lack of personnel, logistic difficulties, lack of diagnostic equipment and capacity, lack of compensation and lack of feedback [23]. However, limitations present in other countries related to veterinary staff, laboratory diagnostic facilities and communication infrastructures are not a limiting factor for rabies surveillance in Turkey.…”