Detecting and Responding to a Dengue Outbreak: Evaluation of Existing Strategies in Country Outbreak Response Planning
Background. Dengue outbreaks are occurring with increasing frequency and intensity. Evidence-based epidemic preparedness and effective response are now a matter of urgency. Therefore, we have analysed national and municipal dengue outbreak response plans. Methods. Thirteen country plans from Asia, L...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2013-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Tropical Medicine |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/756832 |
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| author | Julia Harrington Axel Kroeger Silvia Runge-Ranzinger Tim O'Dempsey |
| author_facet | Julia Harrington Axel Kroeger Silvia Runge-Ranzinger Tim O'Dempsey |
| author_sort | Julia Harrington |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. Dengue outbreaks are occurring with increasing frequency and intensity. Evidence-based epidemic preparedness and effective response are now a matter of urgency. Therefore, we have analysed national and municipal dengue outbreak response plans. Methods. Thirteen country plans from Asia, Latin America and Australia, and one international plan were obtained from the World Health Organization. The information was transferred to a data analysis matrix where information was extracted according to predefined and emerging themes and analysed for scope, inconsistencies, omissions, and usefulness. Findings. Outbreak response planning currently has a considerable number of flaws. Outbreak governance was weak with a lack of clarity of stakeholder roles. Late timing of responses due to poor surveillance, a lack of combining routine data with additional alerts, and lack of triggers for initiating the response weakened the functionality of plans. Frequently an outbreak was not defined, and early response mechanisms based on alert signals were neglected. There was a distinct lack of consideration of contextual influences which can affect how an outbreak detection and response is managed. Conclusion. A model contingency plan for dengue outbreak prediction, detection, and response may help national disease control authorities to develop their own more detailed and functional context specific plans. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-81d2eccffaa34bc69e2dcdb4fbba9a18 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1687-9686 1687-9694 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Tropical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-81d2eccffaa34bc69e2dcdb4fbba9a182025-08-20T02:09:06ZengWileyJournal of Tropical Medicine1687-96861687-96942013-01-01201310.1155/2013/756832756832Detecting and Responding to a Dengue Outbreak: Evaluation of Existing Strategies in Country Outbreak Response PlanningJulia Harrington0Axel Kroeger1Silvia Runge-Ranzinger2Tim O'Dempsey3Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UKLiverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UKSpecial Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), WHO, 1211 Geneva 27, SwitzerlandLiverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UKBackground. Dengue outbreaks are occurring with increasing frequency and intensity. Evidence-based epidemic preparedness and effective response are now a matter of urgency. Therefore, we have analysed national and municipal dengue outbreak response plans. Methods. Thirteen country plans from Asia, Latin America and Australia, and one international plan were obtained from the World Health Organization. The information was transferred to a data analysis matrix where information was extracted according to predefined and emerging themes and analysed for scope, inconsistencies, omissions, and usefulness. Findings. Outbreak response planning currently has a considerable number of flaws. Outbreak governance was weak with a lack of clarity of stakeholder roles. Late timing of responses due to poor surveillance, a lack of combining routine data with additional alerts, and lack of triggers for initiating the response weakened the functionality of plans. Frequently an outbreak was not defined, and early response mechanisms based on alert signals were neglected. There was a distinct lack of consideration of contextual influences which can affect how an outbreak detection and response is managed. Conclusion. A model contingency plan for dengue outbreak prediction, detection, and response may help national disease control authorities to develop their own more detailed and functional context specific plans.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/756832 |
| spellingShingle | Julia Harrington Axel Kroeger Silvia Runge-Ranzinger Tim O'Dempsey Detecting and Responding to a Dengue Outbreak: Evaluation of Existing Strategies in Country Outbreak Response Planning Journal of Tropical Medicine |
| title | Detecting and Responding to a Dengue Outbreak: Evaluation of Existing Strategies in Country Outbreak Response Planning |
| title_full | Detecting and Responding to a Dengue Outbreak: Evaluation of Existing Strategies in Country Outbreak Response Planning |
| title_fullStr | Detecting and Responding to a Dengue Outbreak: Evaluation of Existing Strategies in Country Outbreak Response Planning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Detecting and Responding to a Dengue Outbreak: Evaluation of Existing Strategies in Country Outbreak Response Planning |
| title_short | Detecting and Responding to a Dengue Outbreak: Evaluation of Existing Strategies in Country Outbreak Response Planning |
| title_sort | detecting and responding to a dengue outbreak evaluation of existing strategies in country outbreak response planning |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/756832 |
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