Emerging and Re-emerging Zoonotic Diseases

OIE Collaborating Centre Reports

Activities in 2011

Title of Collaborating Centre: / Emerging and Re-emerging
Zoonotic Diseases
Address of Collaborating Centre: / National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road, MS D-76
Atlanta, Georgia 30333
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Tel: / (1-404) 639.7378
Fax: / (1-404) 639.7090
E-mail address: /
Website: / http://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/
Name of Director of Institute (Responsible Official): / Beth Bell, MD, MPH
Name (including Title and Position) of Head of the Collaborating Centre (formally OIE Contact Point): / Carol Rubin, DVM, MPH
Director, One Health Office
Name (including Title and Position) of writer of this report
(if different from above) / Millie Trotter, M.Ed.
Principal Management Official, One Health Office


Summary of activities specifically related to the mandate of
OIE Collaborating Centres

1. Activities as a centre of research, expertise, standardisation and dissemination of techniques within the remit of the mandate given by the OIE

The National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) aims to prevent disease, disability, and death caused by a wide range of infectious diseases. NCEZID’s work is guided in part by a holistic "One Health" strategy, which recognizes the vital interconnectedness of microbes and the environment. Through a comprehensive approach involving many scientific disciplines, we can attain better health for humans and animals and improve our environment.

Many different tactics are used to carry out NCEZID’s mission: providing leadership in public health, conducting exemplary science, strengthening preparedness efforts, establishing public health policy, sharing vital health information with the public, and building partnerships to protect and improve the public's health in the United States and worldwide.

In 2011, NCEZID staff participated in multiple investigations of zoonotic diseases providing epidemiologic, laboratory and logistical expertise. These investigations included, but were not limited to, epidemiologic and laboratory support for investigations of dengue fever, rabies, monkeypox, Ebola virus, Marburg Virus, various enteric diseases, Rift Valley Fever, and plague. These investigations included training of in-country personnel in epidemiology, methods for conducting outbreak investigations, and applicable laboratory diagnostics.

Specific activities as a centre of research, expertise, standardisation and dissemination of techniques in 2011 include:

·  Developed and currently testing the 1st inexpensive plague “dipstick”

·  Developed a rapid, field deployable orthopoxvirus detection platform which includes DNA isolation and sensitive molecular based assays

·  On-going safety and efficacy trail of live-attenuated Rift Valley Fever vaccine in sheep in South Africa

·  Provided technical assistance and conducted diagnostic testing in response to requests from international Ministries of Health in Peru Bolivia, Guatemala, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan.

·  Developed the first integrated village/clinic plague surveillance network in Africa

·  Established monkeypox surveillance activities in Equator province, Democratic Republic of Congo

·  Provided in-country epidemiologic consultations and diagnostic support/training or health education on rabies prevention and control to Ministry of Agriculture/Health representatives in Canada, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Peru, China, El Salvador, the Philippines, and South Africa

·  Developed diagnostic capacity for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHF) in India; assisted Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan Ministries of Health in VHF surveillance and outbreak response

·  Evaluated approximately 50 suspect dengue cases as part of enhanced surveillance for fatal dengue infections in Puerto Rico; also documented additional diagnoses of leptospirosis which provided early evidence of an emerging outbreak

Scientific Meetings sponsored or hosted by NCEZID in 2011

World Rabies Day Global Webinar, September 21-22, 2011. The World Rabies Day Webinar brought together noted leaders in rabies research, One Health advocates, professionals, students and World Rabies Day event planners to discuss the important public health issue of rabies while providing a forum for dialogue within and across disciplines.

Stone Mountain Meeting: Country-Level Needs Assessment Workgroup, April 14-15, 2011. Members of the workgroup were convened at a workshop sponsored by the World Bank to further develop a draft One Health Self-Assessment Guide. Developed by the World Bank, the intent of this guide is to measure a country’s level of achievement in integrating the human, animal, and environmental health sectors.

“One Flu” Strategic Retreat, February 1 - 3, 2011. This retreat was co-organized by NCEIZD, the Influenza Division/NCIRD, and the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe). Fifty leaders and international scientists were brought together to contribute their expertise and present their research findings on interspecies transmission of influenza viruses with the goal of improving sharing of information and fostering trans-disciplinary collaboration.

Infectious Disease and One Health: Vaccines and Therapeutics, February 2, 2011, The British Consulate hosted a collaborative one-day meeting focused on disease intervention strategies for emerging infectious diseases at the animal–human–ecosystems interface, including latest developments in therapeutics and vaccines. The meeting brought together UK experts with scholars from the Emory University Vaccine Center, The Center for Influenza Research and Surveillance (Emory, UGA), the Animal Health Research Center at the University of Georgia and scientists from CDC.

2. Proposal or development of any procedure that will facilitate harmonisation of international regulations applicable to the surveillance and control of animal diseases, food safety or animal welfare.

CDC’s Division of Global Disease Detection and Emergency Response has been designated by WHO as a WHO Collaborating Center for Implementation of the Revised International Health Regulations (IHR [2005]) National Surveillance and Response Capacity. The designation is through 2013. The Division coordinates expertise and resources in each of the WHO regions and assist in the advancement of on-site national core capacities for member states working to meet the minimum IHR requirements in surveillance and response.

Assurance that the IHR process will be accommodated during all investigations, surveillance activities and research when appropriate.

Whenever possible, assure that animal and human components are sharing biologic isolates and epidemiologic data to facilitate the control and containment of disease.

3. Networking

a) Maintenance of a network with other OIE Collaborating Centres designated for the same specialty, and

NCEZID participates at the annual meeting of US OIE Collaborating Centers convened at the US Animal Health Association Annual Conference to present updates and discuss OIE initiatives that are being emphasized and key areas of importance to US animal health. Key accomplishments/findings from OIE collaborative work is presented and planned OIE collaborative work during the next year is discussed, especially those that might benefit from multi-center involvement.

b) Should the need arise, maintenance of a network with Collaborating Centres in other disciplines

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4. Placement of expert consultants at the disposal of the OIE

Dr. Kate Glynn is on a long term assignment to OIE where she serves as Chargée de mission in the Scientific and Technical Department, supporting OIE’s activities on the prevention and control of diseases at the animal-human interface. Her work at OIE has a specific focus on matters related to the ‘One World One Health’ concept, with special emphasis on diseases at the animal-human interface.

All CDC subject matter experts are available to the OIE at any time for consultation. This expertise includes, but is not limited to, epidemiologists, laboratorians, ecologists, veterinarians, microbiologists and virologists.

5. Provision of scientific and technical training, within the remit of the mandate given by the OIE, to personnel from OIE Member Countries

CDC conducts various training programs that provide training to both member and non–member countries. The programs include but are not limited to Global Foodborne Infections Network, FELTP (Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program), and PulseNet International. The FELTP training component has been highly successful in many countries in incorporating veterinarians into the training along with their human health counterparts. This has shown great success.

Each year a two week Arbovirus Diagnostics and Surveillance Training Program is conducted by the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases in Ft. Collins, CO. This training program is intended to efficiently provide training experiences to international scientists that will improve and strengthen their competencies in methods used for surveillance and analysis of diseases of public health importance.

Specific scientific and technical training activities conducted by NCEZID in 2011 included:

·  Training of local clinic staff on monkeypox identification and case management in Democratic Republic of Congo

·  Training of laboratorians in Democratic Republic of Congo on IHC and dRIT techniques for application to suspect human and animal cases of rabies

·  Training of hospital and clinic medical and laboratory staff on acute febrile illness surveillance in Uganda

·  In-country training and health education on rabies prevention and control to Ministry of Agriculture/ Health representatives in Canada, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Peru, China, El Salvador, the Philippines, and South Africa

·  Training for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers in India

6. Organisation of scientific meetings on behalf of the OIE

Expert Meeting on One health Global Governance, October 31-November 1, Atlanta, GA.

7. Coordination of scientific and technical studies in collaboration with other laboratories, organisations or collaborating centres

CDC is a supporting partner to USAID’s Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) Program. The goal of the EPT Program is to pre-empt or combat, at their source, the first stages of the emergence of zoonotic diseases that pose a significant threat to public health. Working with the EPT Program’s coalition of partners, CDC collaborates on research activities and provides subject-matter expertise and technical assistance.

CDC receives funds from HHS/Office of Global Affairs to support veterinary medical officers (VMOs) placed in strategic international assignments ( Nigeria, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Egypt) to conduct activities that will improve preparedness, detection, and response to avian influenza and other zoonotic diseases by working collaboratively with international, regional and country partners, and human and animal health organizations. In collaboration with CDC’s Division of Global Disease Detection (GDD) and Emergency Response, NCEZID has begun placing VMO’s at select GDD sites to work collaboratively with country partners and international human and animal health organizations to improve global preparedness and response to pandemic threats of zoonotic origin through multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral collaborations. In 2011, the first VMO was placed at the GDD Center in Nairobi, Kenya.

NCEZID has placed a veterinary medical officer on a long-term assignment at FAO to serve as a technical and policy consultant on zoonotic disease surveillance and epidemiology, the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases, and the integration between veterinary and public health research and practice.

NCEZID awarded OIE a three year cooperative agreement to support research that will identify and address gaps between human and animal health activities that can be used to inform the public health response to infection of humans by animal influenza viruses and other pathogens of zoonotic origin.

8. Publication and dissemination of any information within the remit of the mandate given by the OIE that may be useful to Member Countries of the OIE

Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Journal – Published monthly by CDC, EID was established expressly to promote the recognition of new and reemerging infectious diseases around the world and improve the understanding of factors involved in disease emergence, prevention, and elimination. EID relies on a broad international authorship base and is rigorously peer-reviewed by independent reviewers from all over the world. The journal: 1) investigates factors known to influence emergence: microbial adaptation and change, human demographics and behavior, technology and industry, economic development and land use, international travel and commerce, and the breakdown of public health measures; 2) reports laboratory and epidemiologic findings within a broader public health perspective; and 3) provides swift updates of infectious disease trends and research: new methods of detecting, characterizing, or subtyping pathogens; developments in antimicrobial drugs, vaccines, and prevention or elimination programs; case reports. [EID Journal Website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/ ]

In the interest of adhering to the stated page limit guidelines of the report, manuscripts have been left off. NCEZID would be happy to provide a full listing of articles that have been published by CDC in the area of zoonoses during 2011.

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Annual reports of OIE Reference Centres, 2011 5