Nature: Vigilance Isn't Enough

# 1327

 

 

An excellent commentary in the Journal Nature by Walter Boyce.  Follow the link for the full article.

 

 

 

Earth monitoring: Vigilance is not enough

Walter Boyce¹

1. Walter Boyce is director of the Wildlife Health Center, and co-director of the NIH Center for Rapid Influenza Surveillance and Research, at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA.

 

Abstract

Global surveillance is key to tracking potential pandemic viruses such as H5N1. But we need to share samples more rapidly, increase testing in endemic areas and track more than one virus, argues Walter Boyce.

 

No access: only by sharing data from local bird-flu outbreaks can global agencies prepare for a pandemic.

 

Another influenza pandemic seems inevitable, and without a generic vaccine, our best chance of being prepared is to identify, track and stop the spread of viruses such as highly pathogenic H5N1.

 

(Cont.)