Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System

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The Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) is a global network of laboratories that has for purpose to monitor the spread of influenza with the aim to provide the World Health Organization with influenza control information. [1] It was established in 1952 to conduct global influenza surveillance and to inform vaccine development. [2] GISRS is coordinated by WHO and endorsed by national governments. Several millions of respiratory specimens are tested by GISRS annually to monitor the spread and evolution of influenza viruses through a network of laboratories in 127 countries representing 91% of the world's population. [3] [4] As well as human viruses, GISRS monitors avian and other potentially zoonotic influenza viruses. [5] GISRS operates FluNet, an online tool used for virological surveillance of influenza. [1]

Contents

In addition to the influenza pandemics of 1957, 1968 and 2009, GISRS has coordinated the world’s response to episodic human cases of infection with the avian influenza A(H5N1) virus since 1997, the first outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002, and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2012 in some countries. [4]

History

In 1947, the WHO Interim Committee of the United Nations agreed to begin a Global Influenza Programme (GIP) for the study and control of influenza. A major outbreak of influenza in Europe was an immediate concern, as well as the identification of appropriate viruses for a vaccine against the virus strains which might be circulating. The establishment of regional influenza centers began in 1948. Five years after the creation of GIP, the Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN) was established in response to a need for an influenza surveillance system to inform the methods for disease prevention and control. GISN would later be renamed Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), [6] evolving as an integrated scientific and technical global collaboration to fulfil the objectives and activities of GIP. [7] GISRS gained momentum between the 1957 and 1968 pandemics. The growing network of national influenza centers focused on understanding disease activity and characteristics of influenza viruses globally. Through these efforts, the realization that the viruses were not only present in tropical countries but might circulate for much of the year was confirmed. [8]

Composition

As of 2015, GISRS comprised 142 national influenza centers in 115 countries, [9] 6 WHO collaborating centers, 4 WHO essential regulatory laboratories, and 13 WHO H5 reference laboratories. [10]

Efficacy

GISRS is considered an "effective early warning system" for changes in influenza viruses circulating in the global population, which helps mitigate the consequences of a pandemic and maintain the efficacy of seasonal influenza vaccines. [11]

See also

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A pandemic is an epidemic of an infectious disease that has a sudden increase in cases and spreads across a large region, for instance multiple continents or worldwide, affecting a substantial number of individuals. Widespread endemic diseases with a stable number of infected individuals such as recurrences of seasonal influenza are generally excluded as they occur simultaneously in large regions of the globe rather than being spread worldwide.

A zoonosis or zoonotic disease is an infectious disease of humans caused by a pathogen that can jump from a non-human to a human and vice versa.

<i>Influenza A virus</i> Species of virus

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avian influenza</span> Influenza caused by viruses adapted to birds

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Influenza A virus subtype H5N1</span> Subtype of influenza A virus

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Influenza pandemic</span> Pandemic involving influenza

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">H5N1 genetic structure</span> Genetic structure of Influenza A virus

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Influenza</span> Infectious disease

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Influenza-like illness</span> Medical diagnosis

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References

  1. 1 2 Lee, Kelley; Fang, Jennifer (2013). Historical Dictionary of the World Health Organization. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN   9780810878587.
  2. ↑ "Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS)". World Health Organization. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  3. ↑ Broor, Shobha; Campbell, Harry; Hirve, Siddhivinayak; Hague, Siri; Jackson, Sandra; Moen, Ann; Nair, Harish; Palekar, Rakhee; Rajatonirina, Soatiana; Smith, Peter G; Venter, Marietjie; Wairagkar, Niteen; Zambon, Maria; Ziegler, Thedi; Zhang, Wenqing (2019). "Leveraging the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System for global respiratory syncytial virus surveillance—opportunities and challenges". Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. 14 (6): 622–629. doi: 10.1111/irv.12672 . PMC   7578328 . PMID   31444997. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  4. 1 2 "70 years of GISRS – the Global Influenza Surveillance & Response System". World Health Organization. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  5. ↑ "Influenza (Avian and other zoonotic)". World Health Organization. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  6. ↑ Monto, Arnold S. (2018). "Reflections on The Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) at 65 Years: An Expanding Framework for Influenza Detection, Prevention and Control". Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. 12 (1): 10–12. doi: 10.1111/irv.12511 . PMC   5818347 . PMID   29460424. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  7. ↑ Hay, Alan J; McCauley, John W (2018). "The WHO global influenza surveillance and response system (GISRS)—A future perspective". Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. 12 (5): 551–557. doi:10.1111/irv.12565. PMC   6086842 . PMID   29722140.
  8. ↑ Monto, Arnold S. (2018). "Reflections on The Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) at 65 Years: An Expanding Framework for Influenza Detection, Prevention and Control". Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. 12 (1): 10–12. doi: 10.1111/irv.12511 . PMC   5818347 . PMID   29460424. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  9. ↑ "WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) Surveillance and Vaccine Development". influenzacentre.org. Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  10. ↑ "Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS)" (PDF). who.int. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  11. ↑ Hay, Alan J; McCauley, John W (2018). "The WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS)-A Future Perspective". Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses. 12 (5): 551–557. doi:10.1111/irv.12565. PMC   6086842 . PMID   29722140. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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