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globe NSTC    National Science and Technology Council
CISET   Committee on International Science, Engineering and Technology

Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases

BACKGROUND ON NSTC/CISET

The National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Committee on International Science, Engineering, and Technology (CISET) addresses international scientific cooperation as it relates to foreign policy and the nation's research and development agenda. The main function of CISET is to develop, on an interagency basis, policies for furthering international science and technology cooperation in the national interest.

viral particleA human immunodeficiency viral particle is seen budding from the infected cell surface at the top, with a complete viral particle at bottom in this high magnification electron micrograph.
Credit: http://155.100.78.12/WebPath/webpath.html#menu

CISET TASK FORCE ON EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

The threat of emerging infectious diseases is an issue that directly affects our national security interests. As new microbial threats are appearing in significant numbers, well-known illnesses thought to be under control are re-emerging, both domestically and internationally. While progress in the fight against infectious diseases has been great during the past several decades, the technical and financial challenge to combat these infectious agents exceeds the means available to any one country, or national or international organization. In view of the broad domestic and international implications of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, and because the challenge ahead outstrips the means available to any one country or international organization, the response to the threat of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases truly requires a global effort.

To address this growing threat, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) and its Committee on International Science, Engineering, and Technology (CISET) launched a U.S. Government-wide assessment of the existing national and international capacity for surveillance, response, and prevention to infectious disease outbreaks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy led the multiagency working group. Participants included representatives from more that 17 government agencies; including EPA, FEMA, NASA, OMB, Peace Corps, USAID, USDA, and the Departments of Commerce (NOAA), Defense, Health and Human Services (CDC, FDA, NIH, OIRH), Justice, and State. The CISET working group also consulted experts from universities, trade associations, private foundations, state health departments, and health-related non-profit organizations.

The result is a comprehensive plan endorsed by the President, entitled, "Infectious Disease -- A Global Health Threat" . The Report reviews the current U.S. role in the prevention, detection, reporting, and response to the global threat of emerging infectious diseases. The Report concludes that existing mechanisms for infectious disease surveillance and response are inadequate to meet our current needs. The Report recommends immediate action at the local, national, and international levels to strengthen the national and international infectious disease surveillance and response networks. The report offers concrete steps for global cooperation to stem the spread of emerging infectious diseases, and to mitigate the impact of the infectious agents on the social, economic, military and political structures of foreign nations. Briefly, the strategy articulates a set of actions aimed at not only improving the U.S. public health infrastructure, but also working in concert with other nations and international bodies, including the World Health Organization, to: prevent pandemics; strengthen global surveillance and response networks; stimulate research; provide training in clinical practice, public health management, and field epidemiology; establishing the authority of relevant U.S. Government agencies; and, develop the local infrastructure necessary to met this global threat.

Through CISET, the Administration has convened a multiagency Task Force to implement the recommendations found in the CISET Report on Emerging Infectious Diseases. The Task Force is co-chaired by White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention, while the function of Executive Secretariat resides with the U.S. Department of State. Working Groups under the Task Force have been formed to address the issues of Surveillance and Response, Research and Training, Product Availability, Communications, Capacity Strengthening, Legislation and Mandates, and Public Outreach.

CryptococcusThis is Cryptococcus neoformans infection of the lung. There are numerous organisms that have a large mucoid capsule, giving the appearance of a clear zone around a faint round nucleus.
Credit: http://155.100.78.12/WebPath/webpath.html#menu

WORKING GROUPS OF THE CISET TASK FORCE ON EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Influenza VirusInfluenza virus (an Orthomyxovirus) is responsible for acute upper respiratory disease, usually accompanied by fever and myalgia.
Criedit: http://www.uct.ac.za/depts/mmi/stannard/linda.html

POLICY DOCUMENTS

MTBThis is an acid fast stain of Mycobacterium (MTB). Note the red rods--hence the terminology for MTB in histologic sections or smears: acid fast bacilli.
Credit: http://155.100.78.12/WebPath/webpath.html#menu

SPEECHES

Ebola Zaire VirusElectron micrograph of Ebola Zaire virus. This is the first photo ever taken, on 10/13/1976 by Dr. F.A.Murphy, now at UC Davis, then at CDC. Diagnostic specimen in cell culture at 160,000 x magnification.
Credit: http://outcast.gene.com/ae/WN/NM/murphy_EMs.html

 EARLY WARNING AND SURVEILLANCE OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Disease Outbreaks

Climate Forecasts and Information

Ecological Information

PlasmodiumThe resting position of the adult Anopheles mosquito is characteristic with the proboscid, head and at an angle of about 45 degree with the surface on which they rest. Only about 60 species can transmit malaria and they greatly differ in their efficiency as vectors according to man biting behavious, survival, fertility, adaptation to different breeding place. The most efficient vectors belong to the A.gambiae comples, widely distributed in tropical Africa, where also important is A.funestus. In Asia important vectors are A.culicifaciens, A.dirus, A.sinensis and A.miminus; in the Pacific area A.farauti and A.maculatus play a predominant role in malaria transmission. The main vector in South America is A.albimanus.
Credit: http://www.cdfound.to.it/

RELATED SITES

U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY SITES

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION SITES

NON-GOVERNMENT AND UNIVERSITY SITES

RELATED DOCUMENTS ONLINE

CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIA

Date (1998) Name of Meeting Location
March 8-11 International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases Atlanta, GA
April 15-19 International Association of Medical Equipment Remarketers Las Vegas, Nevada
May 10-15 Infectious Diseases Society Association (IDSA) Meeting Boston, Mass.
May 17-21 98th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology Atlanta, GA
May 22-29 U.S.-EU Task Force Meeting on Communicable Diseases London, United Kingdom
June 10-14 World Health Organization (WHO) Annual Meeting on Infectious Diseases Geneva, Switzerland
June 20-27 International Vaccine Institute Seoul, Korea
July 8-10 U.S.-Japan Cooperative Science Joint Board Committee Meeting Osaka, Japan
July 13-15 U.S.-Japan Committee Meeting on Infectious Diseases Japan
Sept. 14-17 Third Asian Conference on Food Safety and Nutrition Beijing, China
Sept. 24-27 Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy San Diego, CA
October 3-6 2nd World Congress on Anaerobic Bacteria and Infections Nice, France
Date (1999) Name of Meeting Location
March 21-24 9th European Congress on Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Berlin, Germany

LINKS TO RELATED AGENCY SITES FOR CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIA

plasmodium falciparumPlasmodium falciparum ring stages in a thin blood smear.
Credit: http://www.cdfound.to.it/

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For additional information, contact the Executive Secretariat, CISET Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, Emerging Infectious Diseases Program, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20520.

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