Disease X: Why have scientists dedicated so much to prepare for MYSTERY disease?
DISEASE X is once again a serious consideration by many eminent scientists, as the effort to fight back against aggressive ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continue in ernest. Why have scientists dedicated so much time to the as of yet unknown disease X?
By LIAM DOYLE
Express.co.uk
Sun, Dec 16, 2018
Disease and vaccination are a primary concern for many world health services, with certain diseases making a resurgence globally. Among these are serious childhood pathogen measles, and ebola in Africa. These diseases are resurgent for different reasons, the former due to misleading anti-vaccination efforts, and the latter due to the contagious nature of the virus. A recent partnership between Imperial College London and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) hopes to ensure rapid-response vaccination is available for a future devastating disease.
Disease X is a mystery disease, currently unknown to the human race, which could one day develop at a rate to cause a global catastrophe.
Currently, it is theoretical, but research bodies are working hard to ensure people are prepared for the day should it eventually come.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO): “Disease X represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease.
“So the R&D Blueprint explicitly seeks to enable cross-cutting R&D preparedness that is also relevant for an unknown “Disease X” as far as possible.”
The main problem when it comes to developing vaccinations to combat globally threatening diseases, is the slow progress.
Effective vaccines normally take up to a decade to produce, and a prime example of this is the current situation in the DRC.
Vaccines and other possible treatments are being rolled out in the central African country, however since the devastating 2014 outbreak there is no final solution.
For disease X, Imperial College and the CEPI are working to ensure vaccines can be created and administered in time.
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