Biowarfare threat under spotlight

Malaria has become a growing problem in recent years

Dangers posed by infectious diseases from either natural or deliberate sources could threaten public health across Europe, experts suggest.

In addition to the biowarfare threat in the wake of the September 11 attacks, there have been changes in global weather, and the way we live, which have created a host of new disease threats, they say.

The US was put on full alert after a series of anthrax attacks last year.

In the past 20 years, at least 30 new disease-causing organisms have been identified, including HIV, hepatitis C virus, Ebola virus and rotaviruses.

Recent international events have made it clear that public health is on the front line

Dr Marc Danzon, World Health Organisation

Plague, diphtheria, cholera, yellow fever and malaria are also re-emerging due to breakdowns in health services, demographic and ecological changes and increased international travel.

The readiness of European countries to respond to any ensuing epidemics is the focus of a World Health Organisation (WHO) forum in Lyon, France this week.

WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Marc Danzon said: "Recent international events have made it clear that public health is on the front line.

"Changes in social and physical environments have created a host of new threats of infectious disease.

"Early detection and response are our best defence.

"Regional and global health and economic security depend on them."

All 51 countries in the WHO European region have developed national surveillance systems to monitor diseases such as tuberculosis and Aids.

Britain unprepared

They are also equipped to detect outbreaks of such common diseases as measles and to track progress towards the international targets set for the eradication of such diseases as poliomyelitis.

However, the producers of a documentary drama about a smallpox epidemic suggest that the UK is not adequately prepared to deal with it.

In researching the film - Smallpox 2002: Silent Weapon - its makers discovered how low the UK's vaccine stocks are compared with the United States.

Stocks are at about the same level as in 1994, when the government reported to the World Health Organisation that it held 3.65m doses - enough for just over a fifth of the population.

New York anthrax attacks claimed several lives

Speaking on BBC Radio 4, WHO technical director Dr Roberto Bertolini said stockpiling vaccines as a preventive measure was not always a sensible option.

He said: "It has to be taken into account the cost effectiveness of this type of measure and the likelihood of an attack using certain micro organisms.

"Evaluations have to be done very carefully, otherwise there would be excessive costs for preventive measures that may not be necessary or needed."

The WHO has put its faith in the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network it founded in April 2000, to counter the threat of disease epidemics.

Through this organisation, WHO continuously monitors disease outbreaks and links over 72 networks and institutions around the world, many of which can diagnose known and unusual agents and handle dangerous pathogens.

The network links the knowledge and skills needed to keep the international community both constantly alert to the threat of outbreaks and ready to respond.