Highly infectious diseases can spread rapidly across borders through travel or trade, and international coordination is essential to a prompt and efficient response by public health laboratories. Therefore, developing strategies to identify priorities for a rational allocation of resources for research and surveillance has been the focus of a large body of research in recent years. This paper describes the activities and the strategy used by a European-wide consortium funded by the European Commission, named EMERGE (Efficient response to highly dangerous and emerging pathogens at EU level), for the selection of high-threat pathogens with cross-border potential that will become the focus of its preparedness activities. The approach used is based on an objective scoring system, a close collaboration with other networks dealing with highly infection diseases, and a diagnostic gaps analysis. The result is a tool that is simple, objective and adaptable, which will be used periodically to re-evaluate activities and priorities, representing a step forward towards a better response to infectious disease emergencies.

doi.org/10.1007/5584_2016_152, hdl.handle.net/1765/100006
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
Erasmus MC: University Medical Center Rotterdam

Nisii, C. (Carla), Grunow, R. (Roland), Brave, A. (Andreas), Ippolito, G. (Giuseppe), Jacob, D. (Daniela), Jureen, P. (Pontus), … Koopmans, M., D.V.M. (2017). Prioritization of high consequence viruses to improve European laboratory preparedness for cross-border health threats. In Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. doi:10.1007/5584_2016_152