Science Daily December 18, 2020
To date, the main pre-emptive response to zoonotic diseases outbreaks has been extensive, cost-heavy efforts to document virus diversity in wildlife. To enable fast detection of new zoonotic disease outbreaks, an international team of researchers (USA – University of Arkansas, George Washington University, University of South Carolina, Kenya, Canada, France Gabon, Republic of Congo, Rwanda) proposes a system of procuring and screening samples from hospital patients with fevers of unknown origin, analyzing samples from suspicious fatalities of unknown cause, testing blood serum in high-risk or sentinel groups and analyzing samples that have already been collected and archived. They highlight four complementary study or evidence types indicative of past or current unknown infection: procurement and screening of diagnostic samples from undiagnosed patients, analysis of samples from suspicious fatalities of unknown cause, serosurveys of high-risk or sentinel groups, and analysis of archived samples. They focus on a coordinated and widespread strategy for early detection so that novel disease outbreaks can be intercepted before they potentially become global pandemics…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE