U.S. – UK Strategic Dialogue on Biological Security

JANUARY 16, 2024

U.S. – UK Strategic Dialogue on Biological Security

The White House

Building on the June 10, 2021 New Atlantic Charter and the June 8, 2023 Atlantic Declaration on Economic Security, the U.S. National Security Council and the UK Cabinet Office announced a new Strategic Dialogue on Biological Security during a launch event today.  

Underpinned by the UK Biological Security Strategy and the U.S. National Biodefense Strategy, this Strategic Dialogue reflects a shared ambition to bolster future heath and economic resilience against a growing and diverse spectrum of biological threats.

The Strategic Dialogue reaffirms both nations’ commitment to increase collaboration in the following ways:

  • Develop a shared understanding of research and development (R&D) needs at the onset of new disease outbreaks, allowing for improved responsiveness by shaping global R&D efforts and supporting early technology assessments.
  • Adopt a One Health approach to biosurveillance and biological threat detection, in support of international efforts to develop stronger and more interconnected global surveillance capabilities.
  • Pursue the development of new tools and methodologies for microbial forensics and attribution.
  • Promote responsible innovation in the biotechnology, health, and life sciences sectors, shaping global norms and standards on biosafety and biosecurity while simultaneously protecting burgeoning bio-economies.
  • Facilitate the development of next-generation vaccines and therapeutics, in line with the 100-Days Mission vision supported by G7 leaders in Carbis Bay in 2021 and reaffirmed at the 2023 G7 Summit in Hiroshima.
  • Strengthen coordination of efforts to counter biological threats, including developing joint measures to address Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention compliance.

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U.S. – UK Strategic Dialogue on Biological Security | The White House

National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases

The National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases is committed to protecting people from domestic and global health threats, including

  • Foodborne illnesses like Salmonella and waterborne illnesses like infections with Naegleria fowleri (the “brain-eating” amoeba).
  • Infections that spread in hospitals and other healthcare settings.
  • Infections that are resistant to antibiotics.
  • Deadly diseases like Ebola and anthrax.
  • Illnesses that affect immigrants, migrants, refugees, and travelers.
  • Diseases caused by contact with animals, like rabies.
  • Diseases spread by mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas, including yellow fever, Lyme disease, and dengue.
  • Diseases new to the United States, like Zika and mpox.

NCEZID’s scientists also do important work that leads to the development of more effective vaccines, therapeutic drugs, and tools to diagnose lesser-known diseases like Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus infections.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, several flagship NCEZID programs—like the Office of Advanced Molecular Detection, the Laboratory Response Network, and the National Healthcare Safety Network—were essential to tracking COVID variants as they emerged across the country, monitoring the quality of healthcare and patient safety, and strengthening efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. To learn more, read about NCEZID’s 2021 Accomplishments.

About Our Name

Infectious diseases are illnesses caused by germs (such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi) that enter the body, multiply, and can cause an infection.

  • Some infectious diseases are contagious (or communicable), meaning they are capable of spreading from one person to another.
  • Other infectious diseases can be spread by germs carried in air, water, food, or soil. They can also be spread by vectors (like biting insects) or by animals to humans.

Emerging means infections that have increased recently or are threatening to increase in the near future. These infections could be

  • completely new (like Bourbon virus infection, or MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome).
  • completely new to an area (like chikungunya in Florida).
  • reappearing in an area (like dengue in south Florida and Texas).
  • caused by bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics, like MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), C. difficile, or drug-resistant TB.

Zoonotic means a disease that is spread between animals and people; some examples include:

  • Lyme disease (spread by ticks).
  • Salmonella (spread by poultry).
  • rabies (spread by mammals).

Last Reviewed: January 17, 2023
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)

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Referance: https://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/who-we-are/index.html

NIAID Emerging Infectious Diseases/Pathogens

NIAID Emerging Infectious Diseases/Pathogens

Emerging infectious diseases can be defined as infectious diseases that have newly appeared in a population or have existed but are rapidly increasing in incidence or geographic range, or that are caused by one of the NIAID Category A, B, or C priority pathogens.

The NIAID Emerging Infectious Diseases/Pathogens category includes Biodefense Research and Additional Emerging Infectious Diseases/Pathogens.

NIAID Biodefense Research

NIAID Emerging Infectious Diseases/Pathogens

NIAID’s pathogen priority list is periodically reviewed and is subject to revision in conjunction with our federal partners, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which determines threat assessments, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is responsible for responding to emerging pathogen threats in the United States.

Note: Category A, B, and C pathogens, and emerging infectious diseases and pathogens listed on this page are not all select agents regulated by the U.S. Federal Select Agent Program (FSAP). For a list of select agents regulated by the U.S. FSAP, refer to the Select Agents and Toxins List.

Category A pathogens are those organisms/biological agents that pose the highest risk to national security and public health because they

  • Can be easily disseminated or transmitted from person to person
  • Result in high mortality rates and have the potential for major public health impact
  • Might cause public panic and social disruption
  • Require special action for public health preparedness

Category B pathogens are the second highest priority organisms/biological agents. They

  • Are moderately easy to disseminate
  • Result in moderate morbidity rates and low mortality rates
  • Require specific enhancements for diagnostic capacity and enhanced disease surveillance

Category C pathogens are the third highest priority and include emerging pathogens that could be engineered for mass dissemination in the future because of

  • Availability
  • Ease of production and dissemination
  • Potential for high morbidity and mortality rates and major health impact

Category A Priority Pathogens

Category B Priority Pathogens

  • Burkholderia pseudomallei (melioidosis)
  • Coxiella burnetii (Q fever)
  • Brucella species (brucellosis)
  • Burkholderia mallei (glanders)
  • Chlamydia psittaci (Psittacosis)
  • Ricin toxin (Ricinus communis)
  • Epsilon toxin (Clostridium perfringens)
  • Staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB)
  • Typhus fever (Rickettsia prowazekii)
  • Food- and waterborne pathogens
    • Bacteria
    • Viruses
    • Protozoa
      • Cryptosporidium parvum
      • Cyclospora cayatanensis
      • Giardia lamblia
      • Entamoeba histolytica
      • Toxoplasma gondii
      • Naegleria fowleri (new in FY14)
      • Balamuthia mandrillaris (new in FY14)
    • Fungi
      • Microsporidia
  • Mosquito-borne viruses
    • West Nile virus (WNV)
    • LaCrosse encephalitis (LACV)
    • California encephalitis
    • Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE)
    • Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE)
    • Western equine encephalitis (WEE)
    • Japanese encephalitis virus (JE)
    • St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV)
    • Yellow fever virus (YFV)
    • Chikungunya virus
    • Zika virus

Category C Priority Pathogens

  • Nipah and Hendra viruses
  • Additional hantaviruses
  • Tickborne hemorrhagic fever viruses
    • Bunyaviruses
      • Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome virus (SFTSV), Heartland virus
    • Flaviviruses
      • Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever virus, Alkhurma virus, Kyasanur Forest virus
  • Tickborne encephalitis complex flaviviruses
    • Tickborne encephalitis viruses
    • European subtype
    • Far Eastern subtype
    • Siberian subtype
    • Powassan/Deer Tick virus
  • Tuberculosis, including drug-resistant TB
  • Influenza virus
  • Other Rickettsias
  • Rabies virus
  • Prions
  • Coccidioides spp.
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV), MERS-CoV, and other highly pathogenic human coronaviruses (new in FY14)
  • Antimicrobial resistance, excluding research on sexually transmitted organisms, unless the resistance is newly emerging*
    • Research on mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance
    • Studies of the emergence and/or spread of antimicrobial resistance genes within pathogen populations
    • Studies of the emergence and/or spread of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in human populations
    • Research on therapeutic approaches that target resistance mechanisms
    • Modification of existing antimicrobials to overcome emergent resistance
      *Excluded Research (Sexually Transmitted Organisms) – Bacterial vaginosis, Chlamydia trachomatis, cytomegalovirus, Granuloma inguinale, Hemophilus ducreyi, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, herpes simplex virus, human immunodeficiency virus, human papillomavirus, Treponema pallidum, Trichomonas vaginalis
  • Antimicrobial research, as related to engineered threats and naturally occurring drug-resistant pathogens, focused on development of broad-spectrum antimicrobials

Immunological Studies

Immunology studies that advance our understanding of host defenses applicable to the biodefense effort, for example

  • Adjuvants
  • Innate Immunity
  • Adaptive Immunity
  • Mucosal Immunity

Additional Emerging Infectious Diseases/Pathogens

  • Acanthamebiasis
  • Anaplasmosis (new in FY14)
  • Australian bat lyssavirus
  • Babesia, atypical
  • Bartonella henselae
  • BK virus (new in FY14)
  • Bordetella pertussis (new in FY15)
  • Borrelia mayonii (new in FY18)
  • Borrelia miyamotoi (new in FY14)
  • Ehrlichiosis
  • Enterovirus 68 (new in FY15)
  • Enterovirus 71
  • Hepatitis C (new in FY14)
  • Hepatitis E (new in FY14)
  • Human herpesvirus 6
  • Human herpesvirus 8
  • JC virus (new in FY14)
  • Leptospirosis (new in FY14)
  • Mucormycosis (new in FY14)
  • Poliovirus (new in FY15)
  • Rubeola (measles) (new in FY14)
  • Streptococcus, Group A

Notes:
* This list was created for the purpose of extramural and intramural program management within the NIAID biodefense/EID mission and does not represent the complete scope of biodefense and emerging infectious disease.
** HIV/AIDS is excluded.

Content last reviewed on July 26, 2018

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Reference: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/emerging-infectious-diseases-pathogens