Importance of outbreak response research in bridging knowledge gaps on emerging infectious diseases

Robert F Breiman^#¹, Eric Osoro², Richard Reithinger³, David Wang⁴, Michael Diamond⁴, Wesley C Van Voorhis⁵, Judith N Wasserheit⁶, Peter MacGarr Rabinowitz⁷, Souleymane Mboup⁸, Jennifer J Hemingway-Foday⁹, Tulio de Oliveira¹⁰, Adrianus C M Boon⁴, J S Schieffelin¹¹, Gregory D Sempowski³, M Anthony Moody¹², Nikos Vasilakis¹³, Kathryn A Hanley¹⁴, Carolyne Nasimiyu¹⁵, Silvia Situma¹⁶, Isaac Ngere¹⁷, Henry Kyobe Bosa¹⁸, Luke Nyakarahuka¹⁹, Barnabas Bakamutumaho²⁰, Sara E Woodson²¹, M Kariuki Njenga^#²²

Affiliations

¹ Rollins School for Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
² Center for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases-East and Central Africa, Washington State University, Nairobi, Kenya.
³ Center for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases Network Coordinating Center, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.
⁴ Center for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases-Epidemiology, Surveillance, Pathogenesis, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA.
⁵ United World Antiviral Research Network, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
⁶ Medical School, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
⁷ Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington Center for One Health, Seattle, Washington, USA.
⁸ Institut de Recherche en Santé de Surveillance Epidémiologique et de Formations, Dakar, Senegal.
⁹ RTI Int, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
¹⁰ Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
¹¹ Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
¹² Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
¹³ University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
¹⁴ New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA.
¹⁵ Paul G. Allen School For Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA.
¹⁶ Paul Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University Global Health Program-Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya.
¹⁷ Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA.
¹⁸ Outbreaks and Epidemics, Republic of Uganda Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.
¹⁹ Emerging and Re-emerging infectious diseases, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda.
²⁰ Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda.
²¹ National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
²² Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA mkariuki.njenga@wsu.edu.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 40467089
PMCID: PMC12142168
DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-018297

Importance of outbreak response research in bridging knowledge gaps on emerging infectious diseases

Robert F Breiman et al. BMJ Glob Health. 2025.

. 2025 Jun 4;10(6):e018297.

doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-018297.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Rollins School for Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
² Center for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases-East and Central Africa, Washington State University, Nairobi, Kenya.
³ Center for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases Network Coordinating Center, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.
⁴ Center for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases-Epidemiology, Surveillance, Pathogenesis, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, USA.
⁵ United World Antiviral Research Network, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
⁶ Medical School, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
⁷ Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington Center for One Health, Seattle, Washington, USA.
⁸ Institut de Recherche en Santé de Surveillance Epidémiologique et de Formations, Dakar, Senegal.
⁹ RTI Int, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
¹⁰ Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
¹¹ Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
¹² Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
¹³ University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
¹⁴ New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA.
¹⁵ Paul G. Allen School For Global Health, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA.
¹⁶ Paul Allen School for Global Health, Washington State University Global Health Program-Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya.
¹⁷ Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA.
¹⁸ Outbreaks and Epidemics, Republic of Uganda Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda.
¹⁹ Emerging and Re-emerging infectious diseases, Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda.
²⁰ Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda.
²¹ National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
²² Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA mkariuki.njenga@wsu.edu.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 40467089
PMCID: PMC12142168
DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2024-018297

Abstract

An important outcome of the devastating 2014 West African Ebola virus disease outbreak and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has been the growing promotion of conducting research during outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) as a valuable and acceptable process of acquiring knowledge to enhance our ability to better prevent and control these diseases in the future. Recognising the unique opportunity during outbreaks to leverage increases in cases over a short time interval and in a circumscribed area, we articulate a systematic process of conducting EID outbreak response research, highlighting knowledge gaps that should be prioritised, and measures that can be applied to mitigate numerous barriers commonly experienced during such times. We also highlight ethical considerations that must be addressed to minimise practices that continue to erode global confidence in sharing specimens and data.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Global Health; Infections, diseases, disorders, injuries; Public Health.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1. Organogram of integrated outbreak response research (ORR) framework, built around the four classical pillars of outbreak response: (a) laboratory and surveillance, (b) interventions, (c) stakeholder and community engagement and (d) research and technology. Well-implemented ORR approaches may engage and derive data from multiple pillars through epidemiological and clinical approaches, laboratory-based diagnostics and real-time genomics, and integrate other state-of-the-art technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced modelling. Translation and implementation research approaches engage with the intervention pillar. Research activities are anchored around the local incident command to ensure an adaptive and timely response to community and local government interests and concerns, reinforced by regional and global coordination by agencies such as WHO and Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Importance of outbreak response research in bridging knowledge gaps on emerging infectious diseases

Affiliations

Importance of outbreak response research in bridging knowledge gaps on emerging infectious diseases

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources