title: Biosurveillance in Central Asia: Successes and Challenges of Tick-Borne Disease Research in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
abstract: Central Asia is a vast geographic region that includes five former Soviet Union republics: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The region has a unique infectious disease burden, and a history that includes Silk Road trade routes and networks that were part of the anti-plague and biowarfare programs in the former Soviet Union. Post-Soviet Union biosurveillance research in this unique area of the world has met with several challenges, including lack of funding and resources to independently conduct hypothesis driven, peer-review quality research. Strides have been made, however, to increase scientific engagement and capability. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan are examples of countries where biosurveillance research has been successfully conducted, particularly with respect to especially dangerous pathogens. In this review, we describe in detail the successes, challenges, and opportunities of conducting biosurveillance in Central Asia as exemplified by our recent research activities on ticks and tick-borne diseases in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
authors: State University of New York , Buffalo, NY , USA.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Hay
authors: MRIGlobal , Rockville, MD , USA.
authors: Kenneth B
authors: KB
authors: Yeh
authors: MRIGlobal , Rockville, MD , USA.
authors: Debanjana
authors: D
authors: Dasgupta
authors: Scientific Practical Center for Epidemiological Expertise and Monitoring , Almaty , Kazakhstan.
authors: Zhanna
authors: Z
authors: Shapieva
authors: Scientific Practical Center for Epidemiological Expertise and Monitoring , Almaty , Kazakhstan.
authors: Gulnara
authors: G
authors: Omasheva
authors: Kazakh Scientific Center for Quarantine and Zoonotic Diseases , Almaty , Kazakhstan.
authors: Pavel
authors: P
authors: Deryabin
authors: Kazakh Scientific Center for Quarantine and Zoonotic Diseases , Almaty , Kazakhstan.
authors: Talgat
authors: T
authors: Nurmakhanov
authors: Uralsk Anti-Plague Station , Uralsk , Kazakhstan.
authors: Timur
authors: T
authors: Ayazbayev
authors: Uralsk Anti-Plague Station , Uralsk , Kazakhstan.
authors: Alexei
authors: A
authors: Andryushchenko
authors: Biotechnology Institute , Bishkek , Kyrgyzstan.
authors: Asankadyr
authors: A
authors: Zhunushov
authors: Public Health England , Salisbury , UK.
authors: Roger
authors: R
authors: Hewson
authors: Naval Medical Research Center , Silver Spring, MD , USA.
authors: Christina M
authors: CM
authors: Farris
authors: Naval Medical Research Center , Silver Spring, MD , USA.
authors: Allen L
authors: AL
authors: Richards
keywords: Coxiella; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Rickettsia; TBE virus; biosurveillance; tick-borne diseases