AN EMERGING INFECTION MONITORING AND CONTROL SYSTEM: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

The paper critically considers the existing international and national experiences in monitoring and controlling emerging infections. The authors conclude that there is a need for the fundamental elaboration of a national concept in the field of new infectious pathology, which provides for the creation of special systems for monitoring and controlling emerging infections. The emerging infection monitoring systems should have the following characteristics: a focus on the prompt detection of emerging infections; short-term and long-term predictions of the development of an epidemic situation; an estimation of threats to population life and health; determination of population health care needs, adequate anti-epidemic measures, and areas of epidemiological studies; taxonomic identification of new pathogenic microorganisms and characterization of their properties; pre-epidemic diagnosis; goal-oriented search for pathogens; multilevel pattern; involvement of various medical and nonmedical services and agencies; coverage of any emerging infections and new pathogens regardless of natural or artificial origin. The concept proposed for elaboration should be embodied in different programs, normative legal acts, and political declarations and should receive organizational and functional incarnation as a National Research Centre for Emerging Infections and New Pathogens.

emerging infections, monitoring, epidemiological surveillance and control system, national concept of new infectious pathology