The directive will also prohibit bird markets and shows in the area, and provides for enhanced disease surveillance of wild birds.

And developed countries—with well-trained health workforces, efficient disease surveillance systems, and advanced health facilities—could be pushed to their limits.

This highlighted the need for local and regional disease surveillance systems and for investment in the capacity of health systems in low and middle income countries.

Major areas of epidemiological study include disease etiology, outbreak investigation, disease surveillance and screening, biomonitoring, and comparisons of treatment effects such as in clinical trials.

These first steps focus on improving the quality of laboratory services for disease surveillance and outbreak response and integrating laboratory and epidemiologic efforts.