BioWatch and Public Health Surveillance: Evaluating Systems for the Early Detection of Biological Threats. Abbreviated Version

摘要

Concern about bioterrorism and potential infectious disease epidemics has spurred interest in developing ways to detect biological threats as quickly as possible. The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS's) BioWatch program has air samplers deployed in more than 30 major U.S. cities intended to swiftly detect the presence of certain aerosolized biological agents to help local and state health officials respond promptly. In response to congressional questions about BioWatch's technological capabilities and plans for a new generation of devices, DHS asked the National Academies to examine the BioWatch program and its costs and merits in relation to methods for disease surveillance through the public health and health care systems. The current BioWatch system needs better technical and operational testing to establish its effectiveness. It also needs better collaboration with public health systems to improve its usefulness.