The document describes the use of strategic information at various stages of the response in the context of strengthening broader health information systems. Strategic information can be defined as data collected at all service delivery and administrative levels to inform policy and programme decisi...ons.
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The goal of this Global Action Plan is to articulate synergistic actions that will be required to prevent HIVDR from undermining efforts to achieve global targets on health and HIV, and to provide the most effective treatment to all people living with HIV including adults, key populations, pregnant ...and breastfeeding women, children and adolescents. The Global Action Plan has five strategic objectives: 1) prevention and response; 2) monitoring and surveillance; 3) research and innovation; 4) laboratory capacity; and 5) governance and enabling mechanisms.
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Estimating the size of key affected populations (KAP) provides important data for planning and implementing an effective response to the HIV epidemic. In the Philippines, these KAP include males who have sex with males (MSM), female sex workers (FSW), and injecting drug users (IDU). Given the diffic...ulty in reaching these populations, as well as their high mobility, the process consequently entailed a specific methodology to directly estimate the size of KAP.
The national estimate of MSM was 531,500 or 2.2% (1.8%-3.2%) of males aged 15-49. Within this MSM estimate, figures for transgender women (TGW) and male transactional sex workers (MSW) were determined. The national estimate for TGW was 122,800 or about 0.50% (0.40%-0.75%) of males aged 15-49, and 23% of the MSM population. Meanwhile, MSW comprised 0.35% (0.29%-0.53%) of the male population aged 15-49 and 16% of the MSM population, giving a best estimate of 86,600.
The estimate of combined RFSW and FFSW was 66,100 or 0.28% (0.19%-0.40%) of females aged 15-49. Meanwhile, there are approximately 10,000 to 21,700 IDU or 0.04%-0.09% of males aged 15-49.
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This National Action Plan addresses actions needed to be taken in order to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the country. It is obligatory to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance and promote behavioral change through public communication
programmes that targets human, animal and plant... health. Inclusion of the use of antimicrobial agents and resistance in school curricula will further promote better understanding and awareness from an early age. Antimicrobial Resistance knowledge, surveillance and research will be strengthened through establishing a national surveillance system for antimicrobial resistance, establishing and building capacity for a national reference laboratory and designated laboratories for AMR surveillance, developing a national research agenda on AMR and establishing and supporting a coordinated mechanism that will ensure harmonized AMR guidelines, data management and sharing systems in human, animal and plant health settings.
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As the number of transboundary pest and animal and foodborne disease outbreaks rises, so does the number of people who are chronically hungry due to these and other factors. The correlation can be explained by the link between our health and that of the planet. We rely on land and sea for the produc...tion of safe and quality foods for our daily nourishment. Pests and disease epidemics negatively impact the quality, quantity and safety of our food sources, and cripple economic growth and efficiencies in production. Furthermore, the epidemic and endemic levels of the pathogens and disease vectors can be difficult to control. This is why FAO stresses and promotes the special efforts required for cost-effective preventive measures rather than the more expensive control, disinfestation, treatment and disposal measures. When preventive measures are late or difficult, preparedness and contingency plans must be in place to enable rapid response. Early warning systems, based on close monitoring, surveillance, and timely reporting are fundamental to warn and empower communities to safeguard their livelihoods and assets by enhancing disease and pest prevention measures and for government services to take immediate measures to protect communities and national economies.
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Há três objetivos preliminares desse estudo de transmissão doméstica: 1. Para compreender melhor a extensão da transmissão doméstica estimando a taxa de infecção secundária1 para contatos domésticos em uma maneira individual, e fatores associados com qualquer variação no risco secundár...io da infecção. 2. Para caraterizar casos secundários incluindo a escala da apresentação clínica, fatores de risco para a infecção, a extensão e a fração de infecções assintomáticas. 3. Para caraterizar a resposta sorológica que segue a infecção confirmada pelo 2019-nCoV (altamente incentivado, mas opcional dependendo da capacidade e dos recursos do laboratório).
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The following protocol has been designed to investigate the extent of infection, as determined by seropositivity in the general population, in any country in which COVID-19 virus infection has been reported. Each country may need to tailor some aspects of this protocol to align with public health, l...aboratory and clinical systems, according to capacity, availability of resources and cultural appropriateness. However, using a standardized protocol such as this one below, epidemiological exposure data and biological samples can be systematically collected and shared rapidly in a format that can be easily aggregated, tabulated and analyzed across many different settings globally for timely estimates of COVID-19 virus infection severity and attack rates, as well as to inform public health responses and policy decisions. This is particularly important in the context of a novel respiratory pathogen, such as COVID-19 virus
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The purpose of this field guide is to provide comprehensive information on planning and implementing high-quality3 SIAs for injectable vaccines and highlight the opportunities to strengthen RI and surveillance. The guide uses measles–rubella SIAs as the main example throughout, but the informatio...n provided aims to be applicable to SIAs delivering any injectable vaccine. It can serve as a reference for the preparation of regional/national SIA field guides and materials.
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The WHO COVID-19 LENS (Living Evidence Synthesis) working group consolidated available evidence, based on rapid reviews of the literature and results of a living systematic review on pregnancy and COVID-19 (up to October 7, 2020), on potential mechanisms of vertical transmission of infectious pathog...ens, feasibility of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2, data related to interpretation of positive SARS-CoV-2 virologic and serologic neonatal tests, lessons from diagnosis of other congenital infections, and existing proposed definitions to classify timing of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2.
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This technical guidance aims to provide guidelines to laboratories and relevant stakeholders in the European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and other countries in the WHO European region in making decisions on establishing sequencing capacities and capabilities, in making decisions on whic...h technologies to use and/or in deciding on the role of sequencing for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics, research, outbreak investigations and surveillance. It addresses the most used sequencing technologies and their applications and proposes a central standardisation process to analyse and report the findings of SARS-CoV-2 genetic characterisations.
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Orientaciones provisionales 16 de diciembre de 2020
En el presente documento se resumen las orientaciones actuales de la OMS para la vigilancia de salud pública en relación con la coronavirosis de 2019 (COVID-19) en el ser humano debida a la infección por el coronavirus del síndrome respiratori...o agudo severo de tipo 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
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Many critical questions remain about the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in real-world settings. These questions can only be answered in post-introduction vaccine effectiveness studies.This guidance document outlines an approach to leverage existing surveillance systems for Severe Acute Respirato...ry Infection (SARI) to estimate COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) in preventing SARI associated with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 using existing SARI surveillance systems. The approach uses the test-negative design to evaluate VE; cases are SARI patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and controls are SARI patients who tested negative for SARS-CoV-2.
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The internationally recognized criteria for diagnosis of neurocysticercosis include a requirement for neuroimaging techniques, such as computerized tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ideally supported by serology. These facilities are not available in all settings, especially i...n rural areas of low-income countries, making it difficult to identify and treat patients. Additionally, there is controversy about the role, type and duration of anthelmintic, antiinflammatory and antiepileptic drug (AED) treatments for different forms of neurocysticercosis.
These guidelines were developed to assist health-care providers in appropriate, evidence-based management of parenchymal neurocysticercosis. The guidelines do not address other forms of neurocysticercosis and do not include management of extraparenchymal disease (including cysticerci in the cerebral ventricles or subarachnoid space). The aim of the guidance is to improve decision-making to ensure appropriate patient care and to avoid misdiagnoses and inappropriate treatment of patients with neurocysticercosis.
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In 2007, the Sixtieth World Health Assembly adopted resolution WHA60.13 on control of leishmaniasis, urging Member States, among other actions:
to strengthen prevention, active detection and treatment of cases of both cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis in order to decrease the disease burde...n; and
to strengthen the capacity of peripheral health centres to deliver primary and secondary care, so that they provide appropriate affordable diagnosis and treatment and act as sentinel surveillance sites.
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Viral hepatitis is defined as inflammation of the liver cells due to viral infection. The burden of liver disease in South Africa is mostly underestimated as viral hepatitis, in particular chronic infection, is a silent and neglected cause of morbidity and mortality. However, the burden of disease i...s likely substantial given the prevalence of chronic viral hepatitis. This burden is further compounded by the lack of screening and access to care and treatment as well as inadequate disease surveillance, human and financial resources.
The National Guidelines for the Management of Viral Hepatitis were developed, with the purpose to:
inform healthcare workers in the public and private sectors about the disease, its epidemiology in South Africa and current methods of diagnosis and therapy
strengthen the healthcare response to viral hepatitis
empower communicable diseases workers and stakeholders to make informed decisions regarding appropriate and cost effective interventions
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Chagas disease (CD) is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, and it is endemic in Central, South America, Mexico and the
South of the United States. It is an important cause of early mortality and morbidity, and it is associated with poverty and stigma. A third of
the cases evolve into chronic... cardiomyopathy and gastrointestinal disease. The infection is transmitted vertically and by blood/organ
donation and can reactivate with immunosuppression. Case identification requires awareness and screening programmes targeting the
population at risk (women in reproductive age, donors, immunocompromised patients). Treatment with benznidazole or nifurtimox is most
effective in the acute phase and prevents progression to chronic phase when given to children. Treating women antenatally reduces but does
not eliminate vertical transmission. Treatment is poorly tolerated, contraindicated during pregnancy, and has little effect modifying the
disease in the chronic phase. Screening is easily performed with serology. Migration has brought the disease outside of the endemic
countries, where the transmission continues vertically and via blood and tissue/organ donations. There are more than 32 million migrants
from Latin America living in non-endemic countries. However, the infection is massively underdiagnosed in this setting due to the lack of
awareness by patients, health authorities and professionals. Blood and tissue donation screening policies have significantly reduced
transmission in endemic countries but are not universally established in the non-endemic setting. Antenatal screening is not commonly
done. Other challenges include difficulties accessing and retaining patients in the healthcare system and lack of specific funding for the
interventions. Any strategy must be accompanied by education and awareness campaigns directed to patients, professionals and policy
makers. The involvement of patients and their communities is central and key for success and must be sought early and actively. This review
proposes strategies to address challenges faced by non-endemic countries
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La serovigilancia es una herramienta que complementa los métodos tradicionales de salud pública para la vigilancia de las enfermedades transmisibles y proporciona información valiosa sobre la transmisión de enfermedades en los grupos de la población; por ejemplo, para detectar brechas en la inm...unidad frente a las enfermedades prevenibles mediante vacunación. Esta información es útil para hacer un seguimiento de la exposición de la población a enfermedades como la malaria, las enfermedades infecciosas desatendidas, las enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos, agua y vectores, así como las enfermedades infecciosas emergentes. Como muchas enfermedades infecciosas están o han estado presentes en grupos que viven en entornos donde se superponen diversos factores de riesgo, la serovigilancia integrada facilita las sinergias y optimiza la utilización de los recursos de salud pública. Este conjunto de herramientas se elaboró para facilitar el diseño, la puesta en marcha, el análisis, la interpretación y el uso de los resultados de las encuestas serológicas integradas para reforzar las capacidades de los países con vistas a la eliminación de las enfermedades transmisibles. En la primera parte se describen los conceptos básicos sobre encuestas y vigilancia serológicas, sus usos, ventajas y desafíos, formas de mejorar su eficiencia, así como su potencial para contribuir a la toma de decisiones de salud pública. Posteriormente, se presenta un proceso gradual para la puesta en marcha de la vigilancia serológica integrada basada en encuestas serológicas. Incluye recomendaciones sobre cómo determinar la necesidad y el propósito de recopilar información serológica; el diseño y la metodología de la encuesta; los métodos del laboratorio; las consideraciones prácticas para la realización de encuestas; el análisis e interpretación de los datos y el uso de los resultados para respaldar la toma de decisiones. Su objetivo principal es apoyar a los directores de programas y equipos que participan en el control y eliminación de las enfermedades transmisibles. Se elaboró para ser usado, entre otros, por los coordinadores de enfermedades transmisibles, enfermedades infecciosas desatendidas y programas de vacunación; directores de vigilancia epidemiológica; personal de laboratorios de salud pública; y otros profesionales de los ministerios de salud y autoridades nacionales y subnacionales de salud que puedan estar interesados en incorporar la vigilancia serológica integrada como parte de las herramientas de sus sistemas de vigilancia, para obtener información adicional sobre la transmisión de enfermedades infecciosas en la población.
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Hepatitis B (HBV) infection is a major public health problem and cause of chronic liver disease.
The 2024 HBV guidelines provide updated evidence-informed recommendations on key priority topics. These include expanded and simplified treatment criteria for adults but now also for adolescents; expa...nded eligibility for antiviral prophylaxis for pregnant women to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HBV; improving HBV diagnostics through use of point-of-care HBV DNA viral load and reflex approaches to HBV DNA testing; who to test and how to test for HDV infection; and approaches to promote delivery of high-quality HBV services, including strategies to promote adherence to long-term antiviral therapy and retention in care.
The 2024 guidelines include 11 updated chapters with new recommendations and also update existing chapters without new recommendations, such as those on treatment monitoring and surveillance for liver cancer.
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