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01-03-2016 | Review

Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak: Action Items for Emerging Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response

Authors: Kathryn H. Jacobsen, A. Alonso Aguirre, Charles L. Bailey, Ancha V. Baranova, Andrew T. Crooks, Arie Croitoru, Paul L. Delamater, Jhumka Gupta, Kylene Kehn-Hall, Aarthi Narayanan, Mariaelena Pierobon, Katherine E. Rowan, J. Reid Schwebach, Padmanabhan Seshaiyer, Dann M. Sklarew, Anthony Stefanidis, Peggy Agouris

Published in: EcoHealth | Issue 1/2016

Abstract

As the Ebola outbreak in West Africa wanes, it is time for the international scientific community to reflect on how to improve the detection of and coordinated response to future epidemics. Our interdisciplinary team identified key lessons learned from the Ebola outbreak that can be clustered into three areas: environmental conditions related to early warning systems, host characteristics related to public health, and agent issues that can be addressed through the laboratory sciences. In particular, we need to increase zoonotic surveillance activities, implement more effective ecological health interventions, expand prediction modeling, support medical and public health systems in order to improve local and international responses to epidemics, improve risk communication, better understand the role of social media in outbreak awareness and response, produce better diagnostic tools, create better therapeutic medications, and design better vaccines. This list highlights research priorities and policy actions the global community can take now to be better prepared for future emerging infectious disease outbreaks that threaten global public health and security.

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Title: Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak: Action Items for Emerging Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response
Authors: Kathryn H. Jacobsen
A. Alonso Aguirre
Charles L. Bailey
Ancha V. Baranova
Andrew T. Crooks
Arie Croitoru
Paul L. Delamater
Jhumka Gupta
Kylene Kehn-Hall
Aarthi Narayanan
Mariaelena Pierobon
Katherine E. Rowan
J. Reid Schwebach
Padmanabhan Seshaiyer
Dann M. Sklarew
Anthony Stefanidis
Peggy Agouris
Publication date: 01-03-2016
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: EcoHealth / Issue 1/2016
Print ISSN: 1612-9202
Electronic ISSN: 1612-9210
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-016-1100-5

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Lessons from the Ebola Outbreak: Action Items for Emerging Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response

Abstract

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Springer Medicine

Abstract

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