Pandemic influenza preparedness and response in Israel: a unique model of civilian-defense collaboration.

In April 2009, the World Health Organization announced the emergence of a novel influenza A(H1N1-09) virus and in June 2009 declared the outbreak a pandemic. The value of military structures in responding to pandemic influenza has become widely acknowledged in recent years. In 2005, the Israeli Government appointed the Ministry of Defense to be in charge of national preparedness and response for a severe pandemic influenza scenario.

Smallpox revaccination of 21000 first responders in Israel: lessons learned.

Objectives: Between July 2002 and April 2003, over 21000 individuals were revaccinated against smallpox by the Israeli Ministry of Health. The objectives of the campaign were to create an immunized core of first responders, to review vaccination techniques, and to produce vaccinia immune globulin (VIG).

Methods: The Lister strain of vaccinia virus was used at a concentration of approximately 10(7) pock-forming units (PFU)/ml, and was administered by the multiple-puncture technique.

Multifocal avian influenza (H5N1) outbreak.

During March 2006, an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) occurred in multiple poultry farms in Israel. The epidemiologic investigation and review of outbreak mitigation efforts uncovered gaps in planning for and containing the outbreak, thus affording valuable lessons applicable to other countries in similar settings.

[The Canadian experience with the SARS outbreak--Israeli lessons to be learned].

The SARS epidemic raised tremendous challenges for the Canadian health system, challenges for which the country was not adequately prepared. Due to the serious consequences of this outbreak in terms of lives lost, medical, social and economical losses, the Canadian government has ordered the formation of a national commission to conduct a comprehensive and impartial investigation of these events. In addition, the Canadian Minister of Health has established the National Advisory Committee on SARS and Public Health with a mandate to "provide an assessment of current public health efforts and lessons learned for ongoing and future infectious disease control".

Preparedness of the Israeli health system for a biologic warfare event.

The threat of a disease outbreak resulting from biologic warfare has been of concern for the Israeli health system for many years. In order to be prepared for such an event the health system has formulated doctrines for various biologic agents and defined the logistic elements for the procurement of drugs. During the last 4 years, and especially after the West Nile fever epidemic in 2000, efforts to prepare the healthcare system and the relevant organizations were accelerated.