Preparation for the next pandemic: challenges in strengthening surveillance
The devastating Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic indicates that early detection of candidates with pandemic potential is vital. However, comprehensive metagenomic sequencing of the total microbiome is not practical due to the astronomical and rapidly evolving numbers and species of micro...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Emerging Microbes and Infections |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2023.2240441 |
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| author | Kelvin Hei-Yeung Chiu Siddharth Sridhar Kwok-Yung Yuen |
| author_facet | Kelvin Hei-Yeung Chiu Siddharth Sridhar Kwok-Yung Yuen |
| author_sort | Kelvin Hei-Yeung Chiu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The devastating Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic indicates that early detection of candidates with pandemic potential is vital. However, comprehensive metagenomic sequencing of the total microbiome is not practical due to the astronomical and rapidly evolving numbers and species of micro-organisms. Analysis of previous pandemics suggests that an increase in human–animal interactions, changes in animal and arthropod distribution due to climate change and deforestation, continuous mutations and interspecies jumping of RNA viruses, and frequent travels are important factors driving pandemic emergence. Besides measures mitigating these factors, surveillance at human–animal interfaces targeting animals with unusual tolerance to viral infections, sick heathcare workers, and workers at high biosafety level laboratories is crucial. Surveillance of sick travellers is important when alerted by an early warning system of a suspected outbreak due to unknown agents. These samples should be screened by multiplex nucleic acid amplification and subsequent unbiased next-generation sequencing. Novel viruses should be isolated in routine cell cultures, complemented by organoid cultures, and then tested in animal models for interspecies transmission potential. Potential agents are candidates for designing rapid diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. For early detection of outbreaks, there are advantages in using event-based surveillance and artificial intelligence (AI), but high background noise and censorship are possible drawbacks. These systems are likely useful if they channel reliable information from frontline healthcare or veterinary workers and large international gatherings. Furthermore, sufficient regulation of high biosafety level laboratories, and stockpiling of broad spectrum antiviral drugs, vaccines, and personal protective equipment are indicated for pandemic preparedness. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5d8196503cbb4f3ca6ec53327976e8f8 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2222-1751 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Emerging Microbes and Infections |
| spelling | doaj-art-5d8196503cbb4f3ca6ec53327976e8f82025-08-20T03:14:57ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEmerging Microbes and Infections2222-17512023-12-0112210.1080/22221751.2023.2240441Preparation for the next pandemic: challenges in strengthening surveillanceKelvin Hei-Yeung Chiu0Siddharth Sridhar1Kwok-Yung Yuen2Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of ChinaState Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of ChinaState Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Carol Yu Centre for Infection, Department of Microbiology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of ChinaThe devastating Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic indicates that early detection of candidates with pandemic potential is vital. However, comprehensive metagenomic sequencing of the total microbiome is not practical due to the astronomical and rapidly evolving numbers and species of micro-organisms. Analysis of previous pandemics suggests that an increase in human–animal interactions, changes in animal and arthropod distribution due to climate change and deforestation, continuous mutations and interspecies jumping of RNA viruses, and frequent travels are important factors driving pandemic emergence. Besides measures mitigating these factors, surveillance at human–animal interfaces targeting animals with unusual tolerance to viral infections, sick heathcare workers, and workers at high biosafety level laboratories is crucial. Surveillance of sick travellers is important when alerted by an early warning system of a suspected outbreak due to unknown agents. These samples should be screened by multiplex nucleic acid amplification and subsequent unbiased next-generation sequencing. Novel viruses should be isolated in routine cell cultures, complemented by organoid cultures, and then tested in animal models for interspecies transmission potential. Potential agents are candidates for designing rapid diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. For early detection of outbreaks, there are advantages in using event-based surveillance and artificial intelligence (AI), but high background noise and censorship are possible drawbacks. These systems are likely useful if they channel reliable information from frontline healthcare or veterinary workers and large international gatherings. Furthermore, sufficient regulation of high biosafety level laboratories, and stockpiling of broad spectrum antiviral drugs, vaccines, and personal protective equipment are indicated for pandemic preparedness.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2023.2240441COVID-19pandemicsurveillancezoonoticoutbreak |
| spellingShingle | Kelvin Hei-Yeung Chiu Siddharth Sridhar Kwok-Yung Yuen Preparation for the next pandemic: challenges in strengthening surveillance Emerging Microbes and Infections COVID-19 pandemic surveillance zoonotic outbreak |
| title | Preparation for the next pandemic: challenges in strengthening surveillance |
| title_full | Preparation for the next pandemic: challenges in strengthening surveillance |
| title_fullStr | Preparation for the next pandemic: challenges in strengthening surveillance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preparation for the next pandemic: challenges in strengthening surveillance |
| title_short | Preparation for the next pandemic: challenges in strengthening surveillance |
| title_sort | preparation for the next pandemic challenges in strengthening surveillance |
| topic | COVID-19 pandemic surveillance zoonotic outbreak |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/22221751.2023.2240441 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kelvinheiyeungchiu preparationforthenextpandemicchallengesinstrengtheningsurveillance AT siddharthsridhar preparationforthenextpandemicchallengesinstrengtheningsurveillance AT kwokyungyuen preparationforthenextpandemicchallengesinstrengtheningsurveillance |