The Genomic Revolution Implications for Treatment and Control of Infectious Disease: Working Group Summaries (2006) / Chapter Skim
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Working Group Summaries: Identify What Technological Advances in the Fields of Science and Engineering Need to Be Developed (Either New Technology or Novel Integration of Existing Technologies) to Improve Rapid Response to New or Emerging Diseases
Working Group Summaries: Identify What Technological Advances in the Fields of Science and Engineering Need to Be Developed (Either New Technology or Novel Integration of Existing Technologies) to Improve Rapid Response to New or Emerging Diseases
Pages 9-16
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From page 9... ...
As the rapid movement of people increases around the globe, the probability of becoming infected with or transmitting a previously undiscovered infectious organism is constantly increasing. When one compounds this increased mobility with the naturally changing genomes of existing bacterial and viral pathogens, the result is a precarious balance between pandemic and small isolated outbreaks.
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From page 10... ...
: 786-790. WORKING GROUP SUMMARY Summary written by: Amos Kenigsberg, Graduate Student, Science Journalism, Boston University Focus group members: · Katie Brenner, Doctoral Candidate, Bioengineering, California Institute of Technology · Frederic Bushman, Professor, Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania · Amos Kenigsberg, Graduate Student, Science Journalism, Boston University · Mary E
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From page 11... ...
Our group decided to propose not just technologies but also a framework for a comprehensive response to emerging diseases -- whether entirely new or resurfacing. This framework focuses on four sequential stages that compose the strictly technical aspect of rapid response.
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From page 12... ...
Biological monitoring is a system designed to detect and identify pathogens anywhere in the environment, such as in animal populations, on a public bus, at the scene of a bioterror attack, or in the body of an unknowingly infected person. The group thought that one important way to detect infectious agents this early in the process is through devices that provide constant, widespread environmental monitoring for microbes.
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From page 13... ...
These bioinformatics tools would also help to synthesize and interpret the loads of biological information gleaned from environmental monitoring. This effort should aim to add to, draw on, or connect similar projects that have already been launched, such as NEON, a National Science Foundation-funded network of ecological observatories that could help with environmental monitoring for pathogens (www.neoninc.org/about/, accessed 2/2/2006)
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From page 14... ...
Both the bacteriophage and recycled-drug libraries would demand new bioinformatics tools to speed the connection of potential cures with new pathogens. A few more of the group's suggestions for initial responses: · Use T-helper-cell vaccines to direct the immune system to attack pathogens · Damp down inflammatory responses to certain infections where the inflammatory response is excessive and harmful · Locate and contain "superspreaders" Later response: Follow-on treatments for diseases that have not been contained in the previous step We hope that the aforementioned strategies will help prevent new diseases from causing widespread illness, but it seems all but inevitable that a pandemic will happen again at some point.
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From page 15... ...
In an urgent or dire situation, the testing of a vaccine might be accelerated so it could be deployed faster than the usual lengthy approval process allows. Organizational, social, political context In rapid response to emerging disease, the organizational and political factors are as important as the science; good organization is not enough to make rapid response work, but bad organization is enough to make it not work.
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From page 16... ...
16 THE GENOMIC REVOLUTION framework can help make sure that our society won't ignore any important links in the chain of rapid response. As one of the group members points out, "Wal-Mart knows that organization is a technology." We hope that it might help scientists and policy makers to guide research and resources in a way that will best protect global health.
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