APEC Emerging Infections Network: prospects for comprehensive information sharing on emerging infections within the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation.

Ann Marie Kimball

doi:10.3201/eid0403.980337

Abstract

Trading blocs realize the strategic importance of and threats from emerging infections, particularly those related to travel and food. Like the European Union, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is undertaking an initiative in emerging infections. The APEC Emerging Infections Network project builds on an existing Internet-based educational network (APEC EduNet), created to help link APEC “study centers” at designated universities. Use of collaborative tools, such as e-mail and the World Wide Web, helps bridge the broad geographic expanse and diversity of APEC economies, permitting scientists and policy makers to share information and more effectively combat emerging infectious disease through surveillance, prevention, research, and control measures. In the project’s first year, staff made site visits to Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Canada, and compiled information regarding Internet access in these selected economies. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) was selected as a disease priority by the partner economies. Accurate, prospective surveillance data on MDRTB are not generally available. Information sharing by e-mail and automated email lists has been successful, and feedback suggests these strategies will become increasingly useful. The Emerging Infections Network (EINet) Web site includes project information, surveillance data, policy discussion, prevention guidelines, and distance learning resources about emerging infections. Human networking is as important as technology-based networking in addressing emerging infections. Technology is adequate to support communications if a comprehensive telecommunications strategy is used. APEC, unlike the European Union, does not have the treaty basis to support this intercountry collaboration, so memoranda of understanding are needed to facilitate sustainable surveillance information flow and scientific cooperation. Numerous member economies are eager to be included in project activities. In the second year the project is expanding both in terms of breadth of information and geography of economies.

Highlights

Rates To determine the expected demographics, rates of hospitalization, and international travel among patients with Salmonella Infantis infections compared with patients with infections caused by other common nontyphoidal Salmonella serotypes, we analyzed data collected through the Foodborne Disease Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet; https://www.cdc.gov/foodnet/index.html) during 2012–2015
The 2014 and 2015 St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) isolates are genetically distinct from the 2003 Imperial Valley, California, strain that was isolated before the 11-year absence of SLEV activity in the state [49]. These results suggest there was likely a single introduction of SLEV into the United States from South America, and possibly Argentina, no later than November 2014, the earliest dated sample from which SLEV was isolated in Arizona and that the virus spread in the summer of 2015 from Arizona to California [49]
Investigation of Feeder Rats Owned by the Patient Because the patient kept feeder rats at home and these rats are a known source of Seoul virus (SEOV) infection, the rats were collected for source investigation

Summary

Introduction

Rates To determine the expected demographics, rates of hospitalization, and international travel among patients with Salmonella Infantis infections compared with patients with infections caused by other common nontyphoidal Salmonella serotypes, we analyzed data collected through the Foodborne Disease Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet; https://www.cdc.gov/foodnet/index.html) during 2012–2015. Begun in 1996, FoodNet has conducted active, population-based surveillance for culture-confirmed cases of infection caused by 9 pathogens transmitted commonly through food, including Salmonella. The FoodNet surveillance area includes 15% of the US population; these data are used to estimate the burden of US foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths [1]. L(+) tartrate+, Blockley, Anatum, Mississippi, and Panama. These 20 serotypes represented 69% of nontyphoidal Salmonella isolates reported to FoodNet in 2015

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