| Work package 8: Epidemiology and preparedness to cross-border emerging zoonotic infections |
| Background and Objectives |
| The free circulation of material goods and the wide spectrum
of human travelling along with the constantly changing scenery in the greater
area of the Mediterranean Sea, the ecological-climatic changes as well as
the socio-economical reforms, carry the potential for the emergence and
re-emergence of zoonotic diseases as well as for their rapid spread. WP8 aims at strengthening the collaboration between the Mediterranean countries regarding exchanging information on emerging zoonotic infections with possibility of cross border transmission. Along with this, the description of the epidemiology of the selected zoonoses in the EpiSouth area will be attempted through the selection of specific indices. It is common ground that the zoonoses’ public health problem requires intersectoral collaboration for its effective management, which poses a great challenge to the countries’ public health infrastructure. Under this context, WP8 focuses in facilitating the communication between human Public Health (HPH) and veterinary Public Health (VPH) officials within each participating country, as well as across the EpiSouth area in order to ensure monitoring, the prediction and timely recognition of cross border transmission. |
| Methods |
| Through a structured questionnaire, distributed to all
participating countries, a list of zoonoses of common interest will be selected.
Regarding these specific zoonoses, via another structured questionnaire,
an attempt will be made to collect contact details for human (HPH) and veterinary
public health (VPH) officials, for each distinct selected zoonosis, as designated
by the countries’ authorities. In addition, a strategic plan will
be prepared, including specific indices for the monitoring in the area of
the above mentioned selected zoonoses. The indices will take into consideration
internationally accepted factors that are used to characterize zoonotic
diseases as emerging or re-emerging, such as increase in the human and animal
incidence, recognition of novel geographic areas and novel animal species
carrying the pathogen. |
| Expected results |
| The deliverables of WP8 include: - a platform for the communication of human (HPH) and veterinary public health (VPH) officials, with listing of accurate contacts for specific diseases - a strategic plan featuring indices for the description of epidemiology and monitoring in the area of a selected list of zoonoses |