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Understanding How and Where Pathogens Emerge: Preparedness and Response for Zoonotic Diseases
This chapter will examine what we know about how and where zoonotic disease threats emerge and key gaps in the information needed for preparedness, both before an outbreak and in emergency response.
The mechanisms of zoonotic pathogen spillover and adaptation to humans are in many cases poorly understood and require sustained and focused research to:
- Characterize spillover mechanisms.
- Develop interventions to reduce spillover, amplification, and onward transmission of emerging zoonoses.
- Design and assess interventions such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
- Refine surveillance targets.
- Prepare for accelerated response where risks are greatest, ideally through local capacity building.
