-------- Original Message --------
| Subject:
|
International Outrage: Influenza A (H1N1) -
worldwide (02): case counts |
| Date:
|
Fri, 01 May 2009 00:02:31 -0700 |
| From:
|
"Stephen M. Apatow" <s.m.apatow@humanitarian.net> |
| To:
|
promed@promed.isid.harvard.edu |
Dear Colleagues:
The level of outrage regarding the inability of states to conduct on site
testing for pandemic H1N1, has led to a perception of no confidence in
the statistics. Without validated tests, municipalities and states
have no capacity to implement rapid response to this public health emergency.
Guessing on suspect cases, choosing which ones we will test and waiting 2-3
days because samples need to be shipped to the CDC lab in Atlanta, represents
a public health infrastructure disgrace.
This scenario brings to mind the sharp comments by the director of DOD GEIS,
who stood up at at my table during the U.S. Medicine Institute for Health
Studies Forum "Food, Air, Water, and Terrorism: Assessing the Risk" (sponsored
by the Department of Defense, Global Emerging Infections System and Annapolis
Center: 29 January 2002), when he shared with the audience that a public
health infrastructure in the United States did not exist. 6 years
later, in the midst of a WHO pandemic level 5 scenario, I now understand why
he said what he did. Roger Breeze did the PCR presentation at this
meeting and my paper "Agricultural Security and Emergency Preparedness: Protecting
One of America's Infrastructures" was a reference point for agricultural
security.
All I know, is that the Department of Defense can fast track a reagent within
hours for use in hand held satellite linked PCR device. This molecular
diagnostics technology has existed for years but has not yet reached the
grassroots physician/veterinarian level. If the United States
does not have the technological capability for surveillance, containment
and control, then nor does any other UN member country.
Related
Until these
gaps have been addressed, there exists no capacity for confidence in case
counts or epidemiological analysis.
Stephen
M. Apatow
Founder, Director of Research and Development
Pathobiologics
International
|
