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Ikejezie J, Miglietta A, Hammermeister Nezu I, Adele S, Higdon MM, Feikin D, Lata H, Mesfin S, Idoko F, Shimizu K, Acma A, Moro S, Attar Cohen H, Sinnathamby MA, Otieno JR, Temre Y, Ajong BN, Mirembe BB, Guinko TN, Sodagar V, Schultz C, Muianga J, De Barros S, Escobar Corado Waeber AR, Jin Y, Rico Chinchilla A, Izawa Y, Khare S, Poole M, Alexander N, Ciobanu S, Dorji T, Hassan M, Kato M, Matsui T, Ogundiran O, Pebody RG, Phengxay M, Riviere-Cinnamond A, Greene-Cramer BJ, Peron E, Archer BN, Subissi L, Kassamali ZA, Awofisayo-Okuyelu A, le Polain de Waroux O, Hamblion E, Pavlin BI, Morgan O, Fall IS, Van Kerkhove MD, Mahamud A. Informing the pandemic response: the role of the WHO's COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update. BMJ Glob Health 2024; 9:e014466. [PMID: 38580376 PMCID: PMC11002403 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-014466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
On 31 December 2019, the Municipal Health Commission of Wuhan, China, reported a cluster of atypical pneumonia cases. On 5 January 2020, the WHO publicly released a Disease Outbreak News (DON) report, providing information about the pneumonia cases, implemented response interventions, and WHO's risk assessment and advice on public health and social measures. Following 9 additional DON reports and 209 daily situation reports, on 17 August 2020, WHO published the first edition of the COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update (WEU). On 1 September 2023, the 158th edition of the WEU was published on WHO's website, marking its final issue. Since then, the WEU has been replaced by comprehensive global epidemiological updates on COVID-19 released every 4 weeks. During the span of its publication, the webpage that hosts the WEU and the COVID-19 Operational Updates was accessed annually over 1.4 million times on average, with visits originating from more than 100 countries. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the WEU process, from data collection to publication, focusing on the scope, technical details, main features, underlying methods, impact and limitations. We also discuss WHO's experience in disseminating epidemiological information on the COVID-19 pandemic at the global level and provide recommendations for enhancing collaboration and information sharing to support future health emergency responses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sandra Adele
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Melissa M Higdon
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Daniel Feikin
- Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Harsh Lata
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Mesfin
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Friday Idoko
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kazuki Shimizu
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ayse Acma
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Moro
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Homa Attar Cohen
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Yosef Temre
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Tondri Noe Guinko
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Vaishali Sodagar
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Craig Schultz
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Joao Muianga
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stéphane De Barros
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Yeowon Jin
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Yurie Izawa
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Shagun Khare
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Marcia Poole
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nyka Alexander
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Silviu Ciobanu
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tshewang Dorji
- World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, India
| | - Mahmoud Hassan
- World Health Organisation Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Masaya Kato
- World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, India
| | - Tamano Matsui
- World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
| | - Opeayo Ogundiran
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Richard G Pebody
- World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Manilay Phengxay
- World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, Philippines
| | | | | | - Emilie Peron
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Lorenzo Subissi
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Esther Hamblion
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Boris Igor Pavlin
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Morgan
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ibrahima Socé Fall
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Abdi Mahamud
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Lata H, Saad Duque NJ, Togami E, Miglietta A, Perkins D, Corpuz A, Kato M, Babu A, Dorji T, Matsui T, Almiron M, Cheng KY, MacDonald LE, Pukkila JT, Williams GS, Andraghetti R, Dolea C, Mahamud A, Morgan O, Olowokure B, Fall IS, Awofisayo-Okuyelu A, Hamblion E. Disseminating information on acute public health events globally: experiences from the WHO's Disease Outbreak News. BMJ Glob Health 2024; 9:e012876. [PMID: 38413101 PMCID: PMC10900317 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-012876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
WHO works, on a daily basis, with countries globally to detect, prepare for and respond to acute public health events. A vital component of a health response is the dissemination of accurate, reliable and authoritative information. The Disease Outbreak News (DON) reports are a key mechanism through which WHO communicates on acute public health events to the public. The decision to produce a DON report is taken on a case-by-case basis after evaluating key criteria, and the subsequent process of producing a DON report is highly standardised to ensure the robustness of information. DON reports have been published since 1996, and up to 2022 over 3000 reports have been published. Between 2018 and 2022, the most frequently published DON reports relate to Ebola virus disease, Middle East respiratory syndrome, yellow fever, polio and cholera. The DON web page is highly visited with a readership of over 2.6 million visits per year, on average. The DON report structure has evolved over time, from a single paragraph in 1996 to a detailed report with seven sections currently. WHO regularly reviews the DON report process and structure for improvements. In the last 25 years, DON reports have played a unique role in rapidly disseminating information on acute public health events to health actors and the public globally. They have become a key information source for the global public health response to the benefit of individuals and communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harsh Lata
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Eri Togami
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Devin Perkins
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Aura Corpuz
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Masaya Kato
- World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Amarnath Babu
- World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Tshewang Dorji
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Tamano Matsui
- World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, The Philippines
| | - Maria Almiron
- Health Emergencies, Pan American Health Organization, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Ka Yeung Cheng
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lauren E MacDonald
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jukka Tapani Pukkila
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - George Sie Williams
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo
| | | | - Carmen Dolea
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Oliver Morgan
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Babatunde Olowokure
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, Manila, The Philippines
| | | | | | - Esther Hamblion
- Health Emergencies, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
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Hamblion E, Saad NJ, Greene-Cramer B, Awofisayo-Okuyelu A, Selenic Minet D, Smirnova A, Engedashet Tahelew E, Kaasik-Aaslav K, Alexandrova Ezerska L, Lata H, Allain Ioos S, Peron E, Abdelmalik P, Perez-Gutierrez E, Almiron M, Kato M, Babu A, Matsui T, Biaukula V, Nabeth P, Corpuz A, Pukkila J, Cheng KY, Impouma B, Koua E, Mahamud A, Barboza P, Socé Fall I, Morgan O. Global public health intelligence: World Health Organization operational practices. PLOS Glob Public Health 2023; 3:e0002359. [PMID: 37729134 PMCID: PMC10511126 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Early warning and response are key to tackle emerging and acute public health risks globally. Therefore, the World Health Organization (WHO) has implemented a robust approach to public health intelligence (PHI) for the global detection, verification and risk assessment of acute public health threats. WHO's PHI operations are underpinned by the International Health Regulations (2005), which require that countries strengthen surveillance efforts, and assess, notify and verify events that may constitute a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). PHI activities at WHO are conducted systematically at WHO's headquarters and all six regional offices continuously, throughout every day of the year. We describe four interlinked steps; detection, verification, risk assessment, and reporting and dissemination. For PHI operations, a diverse and interdisciplinary workforce is needed. Overall, PHI is a key feature of the global health architecture and will only become more prominent as the world faces increasing public health threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Hamblion
- Department of Alert and Response Coordination, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Neil J. Saad
- Department of Alert and Response Coordination, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Blanche Greene-Cramer
- Department of Alert and Response Coordination, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Adedoyin Awofisayo-Okuyelu
- Department of Alert and Response Coordination, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dubravka Selenic Minet
- Department of Alert and Response Coordination, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anastasia Smirnova
- Department of Alert and Response Coordination, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Etsub Engedashet Tahelew
- Department of Alert and Response Coordination, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Kaja Kaasik-Aaslav
- Department of Alert and Response Coordination, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lidia Alexandrova Ezerska
- Department of Alert and Response Coordination, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Harsh Lata
- Department of Alert and Response Coordination, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sophie Allain Ioos
- Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Department, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Emilie Peron
- WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philip Abdelmalik
- WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Berlin, Germany
| | - Enrique Perez-Gutierrez
- Health Emergency Information & Risk Assessment, Health Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Americas, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Maria Almiron
- Health Emergency Information & Risk Assessment, Health Emergencies, World Health Organization Regional Office for the Americas, Washington DC, United States of America
| | - Masaya Kato
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization South-East Asia Regional Office, New Delhi, India
| | - Amarnath Babu
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization South-East Asia Regional Office, New Delhi, India
| | - Tamano Matsui
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office, Manilla, Philippines
| | - Viema Biaukula
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office, Manilla, Philippines
| | - Pierre Nabeth
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Aura Corpuz
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Jukka Pukkila
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization European Regional Office, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ka-Yeung Cheng
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization European Regional Office, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Benido Impouma
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization Africa Regional Office, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Etien Koua
- Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization Africa Regional Office, Brazzaville, Congo
| | - Abdi Mahamud
- Department of Alert and Response Coordination, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Phillipe Barboza
- Office of the Assistant Director-General for Emergencies Response, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ibrahima Socé Fall
- Department of Health Emergency Interventions, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Morgan
- WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, Health Emergencies Programme, World Health Organization, Berlin, Germany
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Lata H, Uchendu E, Chandra S, Majumdar CG, Khan IA, ElSohly MA. Cryopreservation of Axillary Buds of Cannabis sativa L. by V-Cryoplate Droplet-Vitrification: The Critical Role of Sucrose Preculture. Cryo Letters 2019; 40:291-298. [PMID: 33966067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cryopreservation is the only method allowing the safe and cost-effective long-term conservation of important germplasm. Recent use of the cryo-plate system has proven beneficial in further simplifying the cryopreservation protocols. OBJECTIVE Developing an efficient protocol for the cryopreservation of axillary buds of Cannabis sativa elite cultivars (MX and V1-20) by the V-cryoplate droplet-vitrification technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS Stem segments (~5 cm in length) with mature axillary buds collected from indoor-grown plants were surface sterilized and then either precultured on MS basal medium with 0.1 M sucrose (1st step preculture) for 72 h or non-precultured. All mature axillary buds (~1 mm) were aseptically excised from stem segments and precultured for an additional 48 h on MS basal medium with sucrose (0.3 M) and 5% DMSO prior to cryopreservation (2nd step preculture). Biomass samples of fully mature mother plants and regrown cryopreserved plants were analyzed for Δ9-THC and CBD content using gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC/FID). RESULTS The survival and regrowth rates of cryopreserved axillary buds of cultivar MX following this two-step preculture were 45% and 42% respectively, while those of cultivar V1-20 were 47% and 44% respectively. A direct preculture of axillary buds (2nd step preculture) on high sucrose (0.3M sucrose) significantly decreased both the survival and regrowth levels of axillary buds of cultivar MX (5% and 3% respectively) as well as those of cultivar V1-20 (20% and 17% respectively). Δ9-THC and CBD content of mother plants and regrown cryopreserved plants were found to be highly comparable to each other. CONCLUSION The resulting plants after cryopreservation appeared normal without any callus formation or morphogenetic variation. On maturity, mother plants and re-grown cryopreserved plants were comparable in terms of Δ9-THC and CBD content. This report provides an efficient protocol for cryopreservation of axillary buds of Cannabis sativa cultivars which may be applicable to other important cultivars, plant parts and other related medicinal plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Lata
- National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi, USA.
| | - E Uchendu
- National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi, USA; Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - S Chandra
- National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi, USA
| | - C G Majumdar
- National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi, USA
| | - I A Khan
- National Center for Natural Products Research; Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi, USA
| | - Mahmoud A ElSohly
- National Center for Natural Products Research; Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
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Lata H, Bedir E, Moraes R, Andrade Z. MASS PROPAGATION OF ECHINACEA ANGUSTIFOLIA: A PROTOCOL REFINEMENT USING SHOOT ENCAPSULATION AND TEMPORARY IMMERSION LIQUID SYSTEM. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004. [DOI: 10.17660/actahortic.2004.629.53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Khaitan AK, Sengupta A, Lata H. Neurotoxicity following lithium and carbamazepine interaction - a case report. Indian J Psychiatry 1985; 27:265-6. [PMID: 21927117 PMCID: PMC3011131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- A K Khaitan
- Clinical-Assistant, Psychiatry Unit, R.G. Kar Medical College Hospital, Calcutta
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