Towards the endgame and beyond: complexities and challenges for the elimination of infectious diseases

Klepac, P., Metcalf, C.J.E., McLean, A.R. and Hampson, K. (2013) Towards the endgame and beyond: complexities and challenges for the elimination of infectious diseases. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 368(1623), p. 20120137. (doi: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0137)

Abstract

Successful control measures have interrupted the local transmission of human infectious diseases such as measles, malaria and polio, and saved and improved billions of lives. Similarly, control efforts have massively reduced the incidence of many infectious diseases of animals, such as rabies and rinderpest, with positive benefits for human health and livelihoods across the globe. However, disease elimination has proven an elusive goal, with only one human and one animal pathogen globally eradicated. As elimination targets expand to regional and even global levels, hurdles may emerge within the endgame when infections are circulating at very low levels, turning the last mile of these public health marathons into the longest mile. In this theme issue, we bring together recurring challenges that emerge as we move towards elimination, highlighting the unanticipated consequences of particular ecologies and pathologies of infection, and approaches to their management.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Hampson, Professor Katie
• Authors: Klepac, P., Metcalf, C.J.E., McLean, A.R., and Hampson, K.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
• Publisher: The Royal Society
• ISSN: 0962-8436
• ISSN (Online): 1471-2970
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2013 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences 368(1623):20120137
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License