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. 2012 Jul;18(7):1047-53.
doi: 10.3201/eid1807.120231.

Assessment of public health events through International Health Regulations, United States, 2007-2011

Katrin S Kohl  1 , Ray R Arthur, Ralph O'Connor, Jose Fernandez
Affiliations

Assessment of public health events through International Health Regulations, United States, 2007-2011

Katrin S Kohl et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2012 Jul.

Abstract

Under the current International Health Regulations, 194 states parties are obligated to report potential public health emergencies of international concern to the World Health Organization (WHO) within 72 hours of becoming aware of an event. During July 2007-December 2011, WHO assessed and posted on a secure web portal 222 events from 105 states parties, including 24 events from the United States. Twelve US events involved human influenza caused by a new virus subtype, including the first report of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, which constitutes the only public health emergency of international concern determined by the WHO director-general to date. Additional US events involved 5 Salmonella spp. outbreaks, botulism, Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections, Guillain-Barré syndrome, contaminated heparin, Lassa fever, an oil spill, and typhoid fever. Rapid information exchange among WHO and member states facilitated by the International Health Regulations leads to better situation awareness of emerging threats and enables a more coordinated and transparent global response.

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Figures

Figure
Figure
Twenty-four public health events in the United States assessed by the World Health Organization and posted on the International Health Regulations information site, July 2007–December 2011. There was 1 event of botulism and 1 event of Salmonella sp. infection in 2007; 1 event related to heparin and 1 event of Salmonella sp. infection in 2008; 5 events of influenza, 1 event of Escherichia coli infection, and 1 event of Salmonella sp. infection in 2009; 3 events of influenza, 1 event of Lassa fever, 1 event related to an oil spill, 1 event of Salmonella sp. infection, and 1 event of typhoid fever in 2010; and 4 events of influenza, 1 event of Guillain-Barré syndrome, and 1 event of Salmonella sp. infection in 2011.
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