[Media Watch] From Anthrax to Zika: memoirs of a disease detective

Swine flu, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Ebola virus disease, Zika virus disease: in the past decade alone we have certainly not been bereft of headline-grabbing viral disease outbreaks. As soon as the media frenzy around the prevailing disease of the day begins to die down, it never takes long for a new contagion to step into the limelight. But as the world's attention and resources shift reactively from one high-profile outbreak to the next, is there sufficient emphasis on reflecting on these events and addressing the structural weaknesses that compromise our ability to prevent or mitigate the impact of future threats? Indeed, are there commonalities in the challenges faced and lessons that can be learned from such seemingly disparate events as an anthrax attack in Washington DC, and an Ebola virus disease outbreak in west Africa?

Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases - February 23, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: James W Rudge Tags: Media Watch Source Type: research