New paradigms for managing emerging epidemics

Understanding is the key to prevention. Microbial storms" (François Roger) have ecological/environmental, anthropological and socio-economic causes. More frequent contact between humans and wildlife, exponential growth in trade and intercontinental travel are just some of the causes.

Anticipating and controlling the emergence of infectious diseases requires a global, integrated approach: biological, ecological/environmental (combating the loss of biodiversity), anthropological, socio-economic (food insecurity among poor populations, which creates the conditions for the emergence of infectious diseases through the intensification of bush hunting, deforestation, etc.), climatic (migration of vector populations, increased human-wildlife interfaces).

Information and education are essential to explain which human and social situations are conducive to the emergence of infectious diseases, and what measures can be taken - possibly drastically - to avoid them or reduce their impact. It is also essential for healthcare professionals and the general public to understand cost-utility ratios.

Emerging" models for the control of emerging infectious diseases that do not yet benefit from a vaccine must be (temporarily) abandoned. They involve a combination of early diagnosis using appropriate, robust tools at the patient's bedside (POC, point of care), modeling of the early stages of the epidemic, and basic public health measures, in particular reasoned, effective isolation.

In certain cases, they can involve even moderately effective treatments that can reduce the viral load, and hence the level of transmission of the infectious agent, and thus break the epidemic chain.

The rapid availability of a vaccine would make it possible to prevent the epidemic's pandemic transition or re-emergence.