July 30 2012 London Olympics: Can you imagine the potential for disease spread in a city that will host ten million athletes and tourists from all over the world?

So why does the London Olympic Logo spell Z I O N when read down each column? 

        WORLD HEALTH

Starting Friday, this year’s summer Olympics will kick off in London, the international hub of Europe. Can you imagine the potential for disease spread in a city that will host ten million athletes and tourists from all over the world?
It is not uncommon for mass gathering events to result in disease outbreaks. Most recently, Ukraine, host of the Euro 2012 soccer championship, reported an upsurge in measles cases and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In February, the state of Indiana reported a measles outbreak following the Superbowl. The game provided fertile soil for 16 cases of measles—quite a lot, given that the disease is no longer considered endemic in the United States.
Major sporting events are not the only gatherings with epidemic potential. Consider the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca that attracts millions of Muslims. Pilgrims from all different walks of life are obligated to camp within religious boundaries, which they do not leave until the ceremony has ended. Some stay on site for several weeks, eating, sleeping and washing together. Cholera, meningitis and influenza have all plagued past pilgrimages.
When it comes to this summer’s Olympics, public health authorities in the United Kingdom are fully prepared. In addition to existing and well-tested measures to detect, assess and respond to disease outbreaks, the British Health Protection Agency (HPA) will introduce and operate “the world’s first comprehensive, automated outbreak detection system,” one that monitors over 3,000 types of infections during the Games. This state-of-the-art “syndromic” surveillance system—which relies on a number for data sources, including official sources like the HPA’s Emergency Department (EDSSS) and GP Out of Hours/Unscheduled Care (GPOOHSS) syndromic surveillance systems, as well as social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter—assesses reports of symptoms before disease onset, as well as other health-related data, to enable effective public health action. “This suite of surveillance systems is unique to the UK,” reveals Brian McCloskey, MD, who is leading the HPA’s Olympics efforts.