title: Surveillance for emerging respiratory viruses.
abstract: Several new viral respiratory tract infectious diseases with epidemic potential that threaten global health security have emerged in the past 15 years. In 2003, WHO issued a worldwide alert for an unknown emerging illness, later named severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The disease caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV) rapidly spread worldwide, causing more than 8000 cases and 800 deaths in more than 30 countries with a substantial economic impact. Since then, we have witnessed the emergence of several other viral respiratory pathogens including influenza viruses (avian influenza H5N1, H7N9, and H10N8; variant influenza A H3N2 virus), human adenovirus-14, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). In response, various surveillance systems have been developed to monitor the emergence of respiratory-tract infections. These include systems based on identification of syndromes, web-based systems, systems that gather health data from health facilities (such as emergency departments and family doctors), and systems that rely on self-reporting by patients. More effective national, regional, and international surveillance systems are required to enable rapid identification of emerging respiratory epidemics, diseases with epidemic potential, their specific microbial cause, origin, mode of acquisition, and transmission dynamics.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Jaffar A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Al-Tawfiq
authors.affiliation: Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK; NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University College London Hospitals, London, UK; Global Center for Mass Gatherings Medicine, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Alimuddin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zumla
authors.affiliation: Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Marseille, CHU Nord, Pôle Infectieux, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection & Aix Marseille Université, Unité de Recherche en Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes (URMITE), Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gautret
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Global Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida.
authors.forename: Gregory C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Division of Respiratory Medicine and Stanley Ho Center for emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, New Territories, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.affiliation: Global Center for Mass Gatherings Medicine, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdullah A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Rabeeah
authors.affiliation: Global Center for Mass Gatherings Medicine, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Al-Faisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: zmemish@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ziad A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Memish
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D018352:Coronavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D058872:Epidemics; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D065207:Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D014944:World Health Organization