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WHO WATCH: Plague in the 21st Century — New Evidence To Control a Re-Emerging Zoonotic Disease
*The opinions expressed by the hosts and guests in this show are not necessarily the views of Children’s Health Defense.
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*The opinions expressed by the hosts and guests in this show are not necessarily the views of Children’s Health Defense.
Description from WHO Website.
Background: ‘Plague, a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, has affected humans for thousands of years and has been responsible for three major pandemics in human history, causing millions of deaths. The first, known as the Plague of Justinian, occurred in the 6th century; the second, known as the Black Death, occurred in the 14th century, killing up to one-third of the European population; and the third began in the late 19th century. Considered a re-emerging disease today, plague is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected fleas and is associated with high mortality rates, especially in endemic, resource-limited settings. Therefore, early identification and prompt management of cases are crucial to ensure improved clinical and public health outcomes and inform the implementation of appropriate control measures. Recent data from a randomized controlled trial on bubonic plague offer valuable insights into plague treatment strategies and may be used to support global control efforts.’
Objectives: • To present an overview of the WHO global strategy for plague control, illustrating current technical guidance on surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, clinical management, and coordinated outbreak response mechanisms. • To disseminate the key findings from a recent randomized controlled trial on bubonic plague treatment, with a focus on comparative efficacy and safety profiles of two antibiotic regimens, as well as the diagnostic performance of laboratory and point-of-care tests. • To engage international and national partners in a technical conversation on the public health implications of the study findings and to discuss evidence-informed next steps programmatic action. Speakers
Opening remarks: Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, Director a.i., EPM, WHO Plague control: a global overview and current WHO recommendations: Dr. Nicolo’ Binello, WHO HQ IMASOY: a randomized control trial on bubonic plague: Piero Olliaro, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom Rindra Vatosoa Randremanana, Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar Mihaja Raberahona, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Joseph Raseta Befelatanana, Antananarivo, Madagascar Panel discussion on next steps and Q&A: Dr. Lorenzo Pezzoli, WHO HQ (moderator)
