Will genomics help prevent the next pandemic?
The Public Library of Science has published The Genomics of Emerging Infectious Disease, a collection of essays, perspectives, and reviews that explores how genomics – with all its associated tools and techniques – can provide insights into our understanding of emerging infectious disease. As pandemic H1N1 2009 influenza (swine flu) continues to spread around the globe, people want to know if this virus poses more of a threat than other seasonal flu strains, how fast it is spreading (and where), and what can be done to contain it. The increasing speed at which complete genome sequences and other genome-scale data can be generated provides tremendous opportunities to address these questions by identifying the molecular changes in disease agents such as influenza viruses that will enable us to track their spread and evolution and to generate the vaccines and drugs necessary to combat them. The Genomics of Emerging Infectious Disease collection discusses the challenges involved and how scientists and public health professionals might take advantage of these opportunities and advances to prevent the next pandemic.
Emerging infectious diseases are caused by a wide range of organisms, but they are perhaps best typified by zoonotic viral diseases, which cross from animal to human hosts and can have a devastating impact on human health. These zoonotic diseases include monkeypox, Hendra virus, Nipah virus, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), in addition to influenza A and the lentiviruses (HIV) that cause AIDS. The apparent increased transmission of pathogens from animals to humans over recent decades can be attributed to the unintended consequences of globalization as well as environmental factors and changes in agricultural practices. Articles in the collection also shine a spotlight on specific pathogens, some familiar and widespread, such as influenza A virus, some “re-emerging”, such as the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex that causes tuberculosis, and some identified only relatively recently, such as the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which is associated with peptic ulcers and gastric cancer. Others discuss the broader implications of genomics research in this area, such as what it means for researchers in developing countries or for our biosecurity. Genomics can and should be used proactively to build our preparedness for and responsiveness to biological threats:
- Editorial: Eisen J, MacCallum CJ (2009) Genomics of Emerging Infectious Disease: A PLoS Collection. PLoS Biol 7(10): e1000224
- Coloma J, Harris E (2009) Molecular Genomic Approaches to Infectious Diseases in Resource-Limited Settings. PLoS Med 6(10): e1000142
- Can an Infectious Disease Genomics Project Predict and Prevent the Next Pandemic? PLoS Biol 7(10): e1000219
- The Role of Genomics in the Identification, Prediction, and Prevention of Biological Threats. PLoS Biol 7(10): e1000217
- Discovering the Phylodynamics of RNA Viruses. PLoS Comput Biol 5(10): e1000505
- Computational Resources in Infectious Disease: Limitations and Challenges. PLoS Comput Biol 5(10): e1000481
- The Role of Medical Structural Genomics in Discovering New Drugs for Infectious Diseases. PLoS Comput Biol 5(10): e1000530
- The Key Role of Genomics in Modern Vaccine and Drug Design for Emerging Infectious Diseases. PLoS Genet 5(10): e1000612
- Toward the Use of Genomics to Study Microevolutionary Change in Bacteria. PLoS Genet 5(10): e1000627
- The Application of Genomics to Emerging Zoonotic Viral Diseases. PLoS Pathog 5(10): e1000557
- The Role of Genomics in Tracking theEvolution of Influenza A Virus. PLoS Pathog 5(10): e1000566
- The Past and Future of Tuberculosis Research. PLoS Pathog 5(10): e1000600
- Helicobacter pylori’s Unconventional Role in Health and Disease. PLoS Pathog 5(10): e1000544
- Helminth Genomics: The Implications for Human Health. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 3(10): e538
Tags: Biology, Emerging disease, Genetics, Health, Medicine, Microbiology, Parasitology, Science, Virology, virus
Thank you for the referral to this resource. I have a side interest in genomics that has been recently stirred by the spread of H1N1. aI’d like to learn more and hopefully this Public Library of Science document can help me do that.