Global issues: detection and control of emerging zoonotic diseases

Assistant Professor Kristian Forbes, together with colleagues from Africa, Europe and North America, proposed a four-part method to detect and control zoonotic diseases-diseases that start in animals but easily spread to humans, such as COVID-19 and HIV

Forbes said: "In response to the emerging disease threat of wild animal viruses, a lot of research work is to identify unknown viruses in wild animals that may one day infect humans

In order to quickly detect new zoonotic diseases, the research team proposed a system to obtain and screen samples from hospital patients with unexplained fever, analyze samples from suspected deaths of unknown causes, and detect serum in high-risk groups or sentinel groups.

Forbes said that although these methods are not new, they have not yet been included in a continent-wide plan for rapid detection

"In view of the limitations of the current model of preventing disease emergencies, our article focuses on a coordinated and extensive early detection strategy in order to intercept new diseases before they may erupt in a global epidemic

Original Search: Towards a coordinated strategy for intercepting human disease emergence in Africa

(Biotech: Wu Song)