Prioritizing Infectious Diseases for Surveillance in Germany
Author Information
Author(s): Yanina Balabanova, Andreas Gilsdorf, Silke Buda, Reinhard Burger, Tim Eckmanns, Barbara Gärtner, Uwe Groß, Walter Haas, Osamah Hamouda, Johannes Hübner, Thomas Jänisch, Manfred Kist, Michael H. Kramer, Thomas Ledig, Martin Mielke, Matthias Pulz, Klaus Stark, Norbert Suttorp, Uta Ulbrich, Ole Wichmann, Gérard Krause
Primary Institution: Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
Hypothesis
To establish strategic priorities for the German national public health institute (RKI) and guide the institute's mid-term strategic decisions.
Conclusion
The prioritization methodology provides a systematic evaluation of evidence and expert involvement, guiding future surveillance and research needs in Germany.
Supporting Evidence
- 127 pathogens were scored based on their importance for national surveillance.
- Eighty-six experts participated in the weighting process.
- The prioritization identified 26 pathogens in the highest priority group.
- The methodology is potentially useful for other settings.
Takeaway
This study helps decide which germs are most important to watch out for in Germany, so we can keep people healthy.
Methodology
The Delphi process with internal and external experts was used to score pathogens based on ten criteria.
Potential Biases
Some degree of subjectivity can never be avoided due to the specialized expertise of participants.
Limitations
The study faced challenges in data availability and subjective judgments from experts.
Participant Demographics
The study involved 86 experts from various public health institutions and professional backgrounds.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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