A recent survey commissioned by the Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition reveals that while there has been an improvement in pandemic preparedness since the COVID-19 outbreak, significant gaps remain in critical areas such as pathogen surveillance, public health funding, and testing infrastructure capabilities. The survey gathered insights from over 100 global experts in virology, epidemiology, and infectious diseases, shedding light on their priorities for addressing the challenges in readiness for future disease outbreaks.

"Just as scientists have developed sophisticated monitoring systems to track emerging storms and hurricanes, our job as virus hunters is to identify pathogens that could lead to outbreaks," said Dr. Gavin Cloherty, head of infectious disease research at Abbott. "Disease surveillance acts as our radar, helping us prioritize which viruses are most likely to trigger an outbreak."

The survey revealed a divided opinion on potential outbreak threats, with respondents equally split on whether new pathogens or changes in known diseases pose a greater risk for large-scale outbreaks. Nearly all (94%) agreed that viral pathogens are the most likely to lead to widespread outbreaks, with factors such as high transmissibility and the absence of existing tests or treatments significantly increasing the risk of an epidemic or pandemic.

In the context of climate change, experts identified mosquito-borne pathogens as the greatest threat to human health, with 61% pointing to diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and malaria as emerging concerns. These diseases are becoming more prevalent due to rising temperatures and flooding, leading to predictions that 1.3 billion people could be affected by Zika by 2050, and 61% of the global population could face dengue risks by 2080.

Experts highlighted the urgent need for robust tracking of insect ranges, animal habitats, and extreme weather events to understand changing risk patterns for infectious diseases. Dr. Sunil S. Solomon, Chairman and Managing Trustee of YRGCARE, stressed the importance of expanding active surveillance in private healthcare settings in India, where many individuals seek care. "In some outbreaks, even one day sooner could have dramatic public health ramifications," he noted.

The survey respondents identified five key areas for investment to address the gaps in pandemic preparedness: surveillance programs to identify emerging pathogens, increased public health funding, enhanced testing infrastructure capabilities, expansion of the workforce including epidemiologists and frontline workers, and the development of diagnostic tests.

The Abbott Pandemic Defense Coalition, comprising over 20 scientific and public health organizations worldwide, aims to identify, track, and respond to known and emerging disease outbreaks. Collaborating with entities like the Centers for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases (CREID) Network and the Global Virus Network (GVN), the coalition is committed to strengthening pandemic preparedness through training the next generation of epidemiologists and ensuring rapid responses to outbreaks.

Informed by the survey findings, coalition members recommend focusing on three priorities. They emphasize the need to enhance public health systems with effective surveillance programs and ensure sustained funding for these initiatives while training the next generation of virus hunters. Understanding which outbreaks pose national, regional, or global health concerns can help the healthcare community calibrate their efforts effectively. Additionally, continued research into how interactions among humans, animals, and insects are changing will be crucial in predicting and managing infectious disease outbreaks.

The insights from this survey highlight the ongoing need for collaboration, investment, and innovation to safeguard public health in an increasingly interconnected world.