Home About PAHO Countries and Centers Health Topics Publications Projects and Programs Data and Statistics Links PAHO in maps Subscribe

MORE new entries Risk and Outbreak Communication: Resources / Guidelines and Best Practices : The resource section of a website that brings together information on Risk and Outbreak Communication. Maintained by the Special Advisor for Social and Media Communication, this site will continue to grow as more activities are implemented and resources become available.  |More| Risk and Outbreak Communication: Resources / Communication Materials Communication Materials: Posters, Fact Sheets, Messages, Campaigns, and more. The resource section of a website that brings together information on Risk and Outbreak Communication. Maintained by the Special Advisor for Social and Media Communication, this site will continue to grow as more activities are implemented and resources become available.   |More| Risk and Outbreak Communication: Resources / National Preparedness Plans National Preparedness Plans The resource section of a website that brings together information on Risk and Outbreak Communication. Maintained by the Special Advisor for Social and Media Communication, this site will continue to grow as more activities are implemented and resources become available.  |More| Risk and Outbreak Communication: Resources / Links to Sites Links to other important risk and outbreak communication Web sites: The resource section of a website that brings together information on Risk and Outbreak Communication. Maintained by the Special Advisor for Social and Media Communication, this site will continue to grow as more activities are implemented and resources become available.   |More| Risk and Outbreak Communication: Workshops Workshops   |More| Risk and Outbreak Communication: Resources / PAHO Documents PAHO Documents: The resource section of a website that brings together information on Risk and Outbreak Communication. Maintained by the Special Advisor for Social and Media Communication, this site will continue to grow as more activities are implemented and resources become available.  |More| Infection Control Strategies for Specific Procedures in Health-Care Facilities: Epidemic-prone and pandemic-prone acute respiratory diseases, A Quick Reference Guide This document is addressed to infection control professionals, occupational health specialists and other professionals involved in patient care in health-care facilities. It is designed to provide quick reference guidance on infection prevention and control to help prevent the transmission of acute infectious respiratory diseases during health care.  |More in PDF| CD48/INF/3 - Avian Influenza and Influenza Pandemic Preparedness CD48/INF/3 - Avian Influenza and Influenza Pandemic Preparedness   |More in PDF| Health Surveillance and Disease Prevention and Control at PAHO This page describes the PAHO Technical Area for Health Surveillance and Disease Prevention and Control(HSD), its mission and objectives, what it does in terms of projects and activities. It contains links to the four technical groups and the Pan American Center under its umbrella. Note: Prior to June 2006, the Area was named Disease Prevention and Control.  |More| VPH News: Communication Channel of the PAHO Veterinary Public Health Unit The purpose of this newsletter is to establish an open channel for the participation of all interested parties, as a bridge for a productive and participative management of veterinary public health issues. It contains information on progress and developments, events and activities, information resources, etc.  |More| RIMSA 15: Inter-American Meeting at Ministerial Level on Health and Agriculture (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 11–12 June 2008) Comprehensive new site: PAHO will once again hold its biennial meeting where ministers of health and agriculture discuss common concerns related to animal diseases, diseases transmitted to human by animals, and agricultural/livestock production and food safety. This year's theme is Agriculture and Health: Alliance for Equity and Rural Development in the Americas. PANAFTOSA Third Interagency Meeting on Strategic Communication for Avian/Pandemic Influenza. 3rd Interagency Meeting on Strategic Communication for Avian/Pandemic Influenza. Washington DC, February 2008  |More| Avian and Human Pandemic Influenza: Addressing the Need for Integration between Health and Agriculture in the Preparedness Plans in Latin America The objective of this paper is to review if this integration exists in countries of the Americas, and in particular if and how it is reflected in the preparedness plans against avian and human pandemic influenza. Focus is on intersectoral action and its importance in this context, with specific public health measures at the interface between animal and human health that are most important for the prevention and control of zoonoses. Though published by the Inter American Development Bank (IDB), two of the authors (Albino Belotto and Cristina Schneider) work in the PAHO Veterinary Public Health Unit. IDB Bird Flu: Preparation, Not Panic! The City of Lakewood, Colorado, USA, has produced a useful 30-minute video program on avian influenza to educate the public on understanding the disease and what they can do to keep from getting sick. It is available at the link below. Video Recommendations and Laboratory Procedures for Detection of Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus in Specimens from Suspected Human Cases Procedures proposed in this document are intended for testing specimens from patients with suspected avian influenza A(H5N1) infection. It is intended for use by National Influenza Centers (NICs; members of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network) during phases of interpandemic and pandemic alert. Recommendations and Laboratory Procedures - WHO Clinical Management of Human Infection with Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus This WHO site provides the full text of the above guidelines for treating avian flu in human cases, in addition to the WHO H5N1 Clinical Case Summary Form and the Supplementary WHO H5N1 Clinical Case Data. WHO HOMEPAGE: Risk and Outbreak Communication A website that brings together information and resources on Risk and Outbreak Communication. Maintained by the Special Advisor for Social and Media Communication, this site will continue to grow as more activities are implemented and resources become available.  |More| Risk and Outbreak Communication - Contact Page An introductory page to the Risk and Outbreak Communications Homepage that details the purpose and objectives of the site. It also lists the contact information for the special advisor for social and media communication.   |More| Subegional Risk and Outbreak Communication for Avian Influenza and Pandemic Preparedness, Subregional Workshop A Website detailing the objectives, outcomes, recources and presentations stemming from Subegional Risk and Outbreak Communication for Avian Influenza and Pandemic Preparedness Workshop.  |More| Caribbean Workshops - Avian and Pandemic Risk Communication A Website detailing the objectives, outcomes, recources and presentations stemming from the Caribbean Workshops - Avian and Pandemic Risk Communication.   |More| Sub-regional Workshop on Communication for the National Preparedness Plans for an Influenza Pandemic - Andean Region A Website detailing the objectives, outcomes, recources and presentations stemming from the A Website detailing the objectives, outcomes, recources and presentations stemming from Training of Trainers Workshop for Outbreak and Crisis Communication.  |More| Risk And Outbreak Communication for Avian Influenza and Pandemic Preparedness Workshop - Central America A Website detailing the objectives, outcomes, recources and presentations stemming from the Risk And Outbreak Communication for Avian Influenza and Pandemic Preparedness Workshop - Central America.  |More| CSP27/8--Avian Flu and Pandemic Influenza: Progress Report Item 4.4 on the Agenda of the 27th Pan American Sanitary Conference, Washington D.C., 1-5 October 2007.   |More in PDF| VPH News: (Year 1, No. 1, July 2007) This month's contents: Workshop in Chile/Argentina; Dominican Republic: Healthy Markets Project; Brazilian Program for the Eradication of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD); Communication Training Seminar for the Development and Information on Prevention of Highly Pathogenous Avian Influenza in the Andean Region and Central America; Recent Activities (Official Missions); First Course on the Control of Wild Rabies (D. rotundus) in Brazil; Project BID-PANAFTOSA-PAHO/WHO Program of Regional System for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) within the Enlarged MERCOSUR; Integration between Health and Agriculture— Pandemic Avian and Human Grippe: Attending to the Need of Integration of Health and Agriculture in the Preparation of Programs in Latin America; Colombia: Group Established to Support Government in Food Safety Evaluation, Progress Made in FMD-Free Status, and Construction of Biosecurity Level 3A Laboratory at CEISA. (Newsletter name changed 9/2007 from News: Veterinary Public Health to SPV News)  |More in PDF| Epidemic-prone & pandemic-prone acute respiratory diseases: Infection prevention & control in health-care facilities, Summary guidance This 44-page handbook provides advice for health-care workers on infection control of acute respiratory diseases (ARDs): reporting and isolating suspected cases; applying standard precautions, standard and droplet precautions, contact and droplet precautions, airborne precautions, and ventilating with regard to influenza-like illness (ILI) and viral, bacterial, and novel ARDs (e.g. SARS).  |More in PDF| CE140/9 - Avian Flu and Pandemic Influenza: Progress Report Item 4.4 on the Agenda of the 140th session of the Executive Committee of PAHO, Washington D.C., 25-29 June 2007.  |More in PDF| WHA60.28--Pandemic Influenza Preparedness: Sharing of Influenza Viruses and Access to Vaccines and Other Benefits This resolution of the 60th World Health Assembly en 2007 constitutes the WHO global mandate for pandemic and avian influenza, which has been adopted by PAHO for the Americas. WHA60.28 Helping prevent avian influenza in Latin America and the Caribbean: FAO handbook offers guidance to small poultry farmers The Office for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is offering this manual on animal health and production for small-scale poultry farmers. It is specifically designed to meet the needs of small-scale and backyard poultry-production units, stressing simple and affordable methods to prevent and control the disease, and acquainting them with the characteristics of this disease so that they can recognize it in the event of an outbreak and immediately report it to the authorities. FAO Communicable Disease Prevention and Control at PAHO: Aims, Strategies and Lines of Action This page summarizes the mission, objectives, strategies and lines of action of the PAHO Communicable Disease Unit and describes what it hopes to accomplish through technical cooperation.  |More| Veterinary Public Health at PAHO This page provides general information on PAHO's activities in the area of veterinary public health and its strategies to face current issues and challenges involving zoonoses, foodborne diseases and food safety. It also provides information and links for the Veterinary Public Health Unit, newly relocated to its regional center in Brazil, and to international partners.  |More| Avian Influenza This page offers a comprehensive, organized listing of all PAHO materials on the topic of avian influenza (bird flu), as well as links to other sites with relevant information, mainly at WHO and in the Region of the Americas.  |More| A Guide to Healthy Food Markets With over half of the world’s population now living in urban areas, food markets have become important sources of affordable food for many millions of people. At the same time, however, such markets have been associated with major outbreaks of diseases, including cholera, SARS and avian influenza. This link goes to the full-text 42-page guide on the WHO website. WHO GF-TADs: Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Diseases The GF-TADs is a joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) which combines the strengths of both organisations in the fight against transboundary animal diseases (TADs) worldwide. It is composed of a global component at the OIE and FAO Headquarters level and of regional and sub-regional components. The ultimate aim of the Programme is to control and eradicate the most significant animal diseases including those transmissible to humans.  OIE Animal Health: Avian Influenza This page sponsored by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations provides basic disease information on avian influenza from the perspective of agriculture and animal production, as well as the 6 Avian Flu Food Safety Precautions. FAO Avian and Human Influenza This site from The World Bank provides information on avian influenza from the standpoint of economic impact. Avian and Human Influenza.  World Bank World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) This link goes to the website of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and its special section on avian influenza. Updates are also routinely posted on the OIE Home Page OIE Avian Influenza Page Travelers' Health This information published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States (CDC, a PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center), helps orient travelers on anything they should know and precautions they should take when travelling to a given country.  CDC International Travel and Health This page links to WHO information related to international travel, helping to orient travellers as to the situation regarding disease prevalence or outbreaks in a given country and what precautions they should take. It provides an index by country, related links, and information on relevant publications. WHO Situation Updates— Avian Influenza This link provides access to all outbreak notices on avian influenza from the archives of the WHO Disease Outbreak News, starting with the newest item.  WHO/EPR Avian Influenza and Food Safety: Statement by Dr. LEE Jong-Wook, WHO Director-General This brief news release offers basic information to the public on food-safety issues revolving around avian influenza. WHO Portal Avian Influenza, Virtual Health Library (VHL) This special portal from the Virtual Health Library (VHL) at the PAHO Regional Center for Health Information at BIREME constitutes a major information resource site for avian influenza, not only for virtual library materials but for other more general information, events, links to national and international sites of interest to the topic, etc. VHL WHO Guidance on Public Health Measures in Countries Experiencing Their First Outbreaks of H5N1 Avian Influenza Outbreaks of avian influenza in poultry, when caused by highly pathogenic viruses of the H5 or H7 subtypes, are of great concern for the agricultural sector and can have considerable economic consequences. Such outbreaks are also of concern for human health. This guidance offered by WHO is general and intended for adaptation to specific situations, in line with national health and veterinary polices. WHO WHO's Flu Strike Force Plans for the Worst Case WHO's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), over the next three months, plans to assemble a medical strike force that could be sent on six hours' notice to anyplace a potential pandemic emerges. No flu pandemic has ever been stopped or even controlled. GOARN's attempt would be the first, it being a "global fire brigade [whose] primary advice to countries is to prepare for this eventuality: emergence, silent or otherwise, of a pandemic virus that spreads worldwide more quickly than we have the capacity to contain, in a series of waves, with a very high attack rate on the population."  Washington Post Brasilia Declaration The ministers and the representatives of ministers of agriculture and health, the presidents and the representatives of producer associations, industry, and other entities representing the poultry production chain, and the representatives of international organizations in attendance at the Hemispheric Conference on Avian Influenza, expressed their commitment in this multilateral agreement at the Hemispheric Conference on the Surveillance and Prevention of Avian Influenza in Brasilia, Brazil, on 2 December 2005. Full conference proceedings PANAFTOSA WHO recommendations relating to travellers coming from and going to countries experiencing outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza These recommendations are in line with phase 3 in the WHO 6-phase scale of pandemic alert: human infections with a novel influenza virus subtype are occurring, but the virus does not spread efficiently and sustainably among humans. These recommendations may change according to the change in the epidemiological situation and related risk assessments. WHO Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza Outbreaks in Poultry and in Humans: Food Safety Implications This fact sheet provides useful information on the ongoing outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in poultry in Asia and, more recently, in Europe, that have raised concerns about the source of infection and the risk to humans from various exposures.  WHO Avian Influenza Frequently Asked Questions This WHO site answers to over 20 of the most frequently asked questions users have about avian influenza (bird flu). WHO Key Facts About Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) and Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Virus This site from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States constitutes a valuable resource in providing basic information on avian influenza and thus provides answers to users' most frequently asked questions. CDC Hemispheric Conference on the Surveillance and Prevention of Avian Influenza (Brasília, Brazil, 30 November– 2 December 2005) The objectives of this conference, co-sponsored by PANAFTOSA and the Ministry of Agriculture of Brazil, are as follows: Review, analysis, and dissemination of the global and Hemispheric knowledge of Avian Influenza (AI) and the risk of pandemic for humans, in order to forge a regional alliance and to discuss the bases of a public multisectoral and private plan, for surveillance and prevention of Influenza Avian in the Americas. This page is Portuguese but offers a link by which to register and the complete conference program in English. PANAFTOSA Avian Influenza: Frequently Asked Questions (Weekly Epidemiological Record 80:44, pp. 377-384) This list of over 20 of the most common questions on avian influenza (bird flu) has been issued by the World Health Organization's weekly epidemiogical report. WHO/WER Influenza: Technical Module (Peru) This technical document in Spanish, put together by the General Office of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health of Peru and the National Institute of Health of Peru offers up-to-date information in the form of a manual on influenza for doctors and laboratory technicians working in the country. Handbook in Spanish Avian Influenza—New Areas with Infection in Birds—Update 34 Tests conducted by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) have today confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in samples taken from domestic birds in Turkey. In Romania, investigations of recent poultry deaths have, to date, identified the H5 subtype of avian influenza virus. Further testing is under way to determine the strain and whether the virus is highly pathogenic. Authorities in the two countries have undertaken control measures as recommended by OIE and FAO. WHO is sending diagnostic reagents and other supplies to support testing in national laboratories. Viruses from both outbreaks have been sent for further analysis to the Central Veterinary Laboratory Agency-Weybridge (UK), which is an OIE/FAO reference laboratory. Viruses are also being sent to WHO reference laboratories for comparison with human H5N1 isolates from Asia. WHO/CSR Avian Influenza Resource Sites This resource page gives links to online information on Avian Influenza (bird flu) via PAHO and international and national partner sites, not only from the Americas but in other regions where the disease has occurred.  |More| Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER): Vol. 80, No. 33, pp. 277-288 This issue contains two articles on influenza: Outbreak news on H5N1 avian influenza: first steps towards development of a human vaccine; and Influenza Vaccines: WHO Position Paper. The theme of the latter is seasonal influenza and the effects of antiviral vaccines on public health, in the framework of large-scale vaccine programs. WHO/WER PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centers and WHO Reference Laboratory for Influenza in the Americas This resource page links to the PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Control of Influenza (located at the CDC in Atlanta), to the PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals (located at St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis), and to the WHO Reference Library for Influenza at the Division of Viral Products, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (part of the US Food and Drug Administration /FDA). It also links to the National Influenza Centers in the countries and to other influenza resources at CDC, PAHO and WHO.  |More| Workshop on the Epidemiology and Surveillance of Influenza and Other Respiratory Diseases (Decatur, Georgia, USA, 9–13 May 2005) The objectives of this meeting were (1) to discuss activities on the epidemiological and virological surveillance of influenza and analyze the subject of pandemic influenza, as well as present basic and advanced methods of influenza prevention and control; and (2) to find out the degree of progress made in the countries and coordinate development of National Preparedness Plans for a possible influenza pandemic, and to provide tools to assist in the planning process and discuss vaccines and antivirals as prevention and control methods, with a view to a possible pandemic. This page offers the executive summary and access to other conference documentation in Spanish.   |More| Final Report and Proceedings: 14th Inter-American Meeting, at the Ministerial Level, on Health and Agriculture (RIMSA 14) (Mexico City, Mexico, 21–22 April 2005) This 312-page publication-quality e-book offers the complete proceedings of PAHO's biennial high-level meeting of the health and agricultural sectors, with an intersectoral approach to such issues as zoonotic diseases, food safety, livestock production, rural development, etc. The HTML page offers the preface and resolutions plus the full text in PDF.  |More| |More in PDF| EID Updates: Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Region of the Americas, Vol. 2, No. 25—18 August 2004 This issue covers the following: Hantavirus in Uruguay, Department of Rocha, near the Brazilian Border; Avian Influenza: Situation in Viet Nam; Updated List of Weekly Epidemiological Reports for the Americas; Updated List of EID Related Sites.  |More| EID Weekly Updates: Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Region of the Americas, Vol. 2, No. 12—25 March 2004 This issue offers an update on avian influenza in Asia, Canada, and the USA, as well as a summary of the III Joint Meeting of Regional EID Surveillance Networks.  |More| EID Weekly Updates: Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Region of the Americas, Vol. 2, No. 11—18 March 2004 This issue offers updates on avian influenza (in Asia, the USA, and Canada; and announcement of regional workshop in the Americas on integrated surveillance of and response to acute respiratory diseases); Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS); and West Nile Virus (WNV) in Belize.  |More| EID Weekly Updates: Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Region of the Americas, Vol. 2, No. 10—11 March 2004 This issue contains updates on the situation of avian influenza in Asia, the USA, and Canada, as well as on the outbreak of Jungle Yellow Fever (JYF) in Colombia and the possible threat of the reurbanization of the disease in urban centers of the Americas.  |More| Influenza This page offers the user a panoramic view of all PAHO materials on the influenza virus (flu virus). The documents are organized according to the following categories: surveillance, prevention and control, PAHO activities, Other PAHO Materials, and General Information/Links. It also contains a listing of featured items for all categories with the most important documents from each, and a customized sidebar with links to key items.  |More| EID Weekly Updates: Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Region of the Americas, Vol. 2, No. 9—4 March 2004 This issue contains updates on the situation of avian influenza in Asia, the USA, and Canada, as well as on the status of the current revision of the International Health Regulations (IHRs) and activities being conducted in this regard.  |More| Third Joint Meeting of the Networks for Surveillance of Emerging Infectious Diseases (Atlanta, Georgia, USA, 26-28 February 2004) The objectives of this yearly meeting were (a) to present and discuss subregional activities carried out by the EID surveillance networks; and (2) to identify commitments and activities for the period 2004/2005, taking into account the guidelines of the plans of action of each one of them. This page provides the executive summary and access to the 124-page report in PDF, with links to the individual chapters.  |More| EID Weekly Updates: Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Region of the Americas, Vol. 2, No. 8—26 February 2004 This issue contains updates on avian influenza and the outbreak of diarrheic disease from rotavirus in El Salvador.  |More| EID Weekly Updates: Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Region of the Americas, Vol. 2, No. 7—19 February 2004 This week's updates focus on the progress of the epizoontic of avian influenza in Asia and on the recent outbreak of diarrheic rotavirus disease in Guatemala.  |More| Avian Influenza A (H5N1) in Humans and in Poultry in Asia: Food Safety Considerations This fact sheet addresses how the recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in poultry in Viet Nam and similar reports from several countries in the region have sparked concern about the source of infection and the risk of human transmission, especially given the presence of avian influenza virus H5N1 in patients in Viet Nam and in Thailand. WHO Virtual Library in Veterinary Public Health (VHL PANAFTOSA) The goal of the Virtual Health Library in Veterinary Public Health of the Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease is to facilitate user access to different virtual information resources in the area of veterinary public health, at the national (i.e. in the countries) and international level. VHL PANAFTOSA EID Weekly Updates: Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, Region of the Americas, Vol. 2, No. 2—15 January 2004 This issue is focused on the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza Virus A (H5N1) in Humans and Poultry in Viet Nam.  |More|

Back Top