Commentary

The first influenza pandemic in the new millennium: lessons learned hitherto for current control efforts and overall pandemic preparedness

Carlos Franco-Paredes¹ , Peter Carrasco² and Jose Ignacio Santos Preciado³

¹  Rollins School of Public Health, 550 Peachtree St. Mot 7th floor, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA

²  Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biological, World Health Organization Geneva, Switzerland

³  Infectious Diseases and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Dr. Balmis 148, Col. Doctores, México

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Journal of Immune Based Therapies and Vaccines 2009, 7:2doi:10.1186/1476-8518-7-2

Published:	7 August 2009

Abstract

Influenza viruses pose a permanent threat to human populations due to their ability to constantly adapt to impact immunologically susceptible individuals in the forms of epidemic and pandemics through antigenic drifts and antigenic shifts, respectively. Pandemic influenza preparedness is a critical step in responding to future influenza outbreaks. In this regard, responding to the current pandemic and preparing for future ones requires critical planning for the early phases where there is no availability of pandemic vaccine with rapid deployment of medical supplies for personal protection, antivirals, antibiotics and social distancing measures. In addition, it has become clear that responding to the current pandemic or preparing for future ones, nation states need to develop or strengthen their laboratory capability for influenza diagnosis as well as begin preparing their vaccine/antiviral deployment plans. Vaccine deployment plans are the critical missing link in pandemic preparedness and response. Rapid containment efforts are not effective and instead mitigation efforts should lead pandemic control efforts. We suggest that development of vaccine/antiviral deployment plans is a key preparedness step that allows nations identify logistic gaps in their response capacity.