Social, economic and environmental drivers of disease emergence

In the recent outbreak of H1N1 2009 influenza (swine flu) in Mexico, it has been estimated that between 6000 and 30,000 people were infected before the international public health community recognised that the outbreak was caused by a new strain of influenza. In Australia, the number of people seeking an alternative lifestyle in the semi-rural regions of our cities is increasing.\n One common outcome has been identification of the need for improved information management. [...] Australia needs to commit human and other resources to improving disease surveillance and risk mitigation, which must involve capacitybuilding and collaborative research and operations with our northern neighbours.