Activities in 2009
Animal Disease Surveillance Systems, Risk Analysis
and Epidemiological Modelling
Dr Larry Granger, Director
Larry.M.Granger@aphis.usda.gov
Cristóbal Zepeda – OIE contact
Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH), United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Services, Veterinary Services,
Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Natural Resources Research Center,
2150 Centre Av. Building B, Fort Collins, Colorado 80526, USA
Tel.: (1-970) 494.70.01, Fax: (1-970) 494.72.69
ceah@aphis.usda.gov ; cristobal.zepeda@aphis.usda.gov
Summary of activities specifically related to the mandate of
OIE Collaborating Centres
The Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH) is comprised of the following units:
 Center for Animal Health Information and Analysis (CAHIA)
 National Surveillance Unit (NSU)
 National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS)
1.
Activities as a centre of research, expertise, standardisation and dissemination of techniques
within the remit of the mandate given by the OIE
CEAH personnel provided guidance and training to Afghanistan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock
officials to improve disease detection, reporting, and response. This project was carried out in coordination with
USAID, FAS. In addition, CEAH and VS Professional Development staff travelled to Kazakhstan with two
experts from Texas A&M University in a collaborative effort with the Foreign Agricultural Service, APHIS
International Services, and the Department of Defence to assess veterinary infrastructure.
NAHMS staff member (March 31–April 4, 2009) presented information on the NAHMS study methodology with
selected results from the NAHMS Swine 2006 study, to graduate students at the University of Guelph’s
Department of Population Medicine, in Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
NAHMS staff member (May 25-29, 2009) collaborated with the CDC, and the International Group for
Epidemiology and Response (TIGER) in Bangkok, Thailand, and presented “Animal health surveillance for
zoonotic diseases in the United States” and “USDA infrastructure and animal health surveillance.” Surveillance
training modules were developed during a workshop with Thai provincial physicians and veterinarians in Chiang
Mai, Thailand.
NAHMS staff member presented findings from the Small-Enterprise Chicken study at the World Veterinary
Poultry Congress (WVPC) in support of the Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health’s (CEAH) role as a
World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) member. This Small-Enterprise Chicken study was conducted to
better understand bird movement and biosecurity practices of commercial poultry operations. As the poultry
commodity specialist for NAHMS, the conference provides the opportunity to keep current on global poultry
health issues. The conference was held in Marrakesh, Morocco November 7-13, 2009.
NAHMS staff member continued membership in the Canadian Integrated Program on Antimicrobial Resistance
Surveillance (CIPARS) on-farm monitoring advisory group.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres, 2009
1
Animal Disease Surveillance Systems, Risk Analysis and Epidemiological Modelling
A representative from CEAH spoke on diagnostic terminology standards at the OIE sponsored Symposium for the
World Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians meeting in Madrid, Spain. Continued integration of
standards will assist in sharing and analyzing diagnostic information on an international basis.
2.
Proposal or development of any procedure that will facilitate harmonisation of international
regulations applicable to the surveillance and control of animal diseases, food safety or animal
welfare
CAHIA partnered with FAO to provide consultation and training in advanced spatial analysis and data analysis
methods for identifying risk factors for persistence and spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza at
country, regional, and global scales. This activity determined the utility of EMPRES-i data for modeling and
visualization of space-time dynamics of H5N1, and for identifying epidemiological drivers across multiple spatial
and temporal scales. This FAO collaboration is planned to continue through October 2011.
CAHIA participated in training and consultation with the Tick and Tick-Borne Disease CaribVet Working Group
and CIRAD scientists in September and October 2009, and provided expertise in spatial analysis methods and
development of appropriate surveillance methods for tick-borne diseases.
Throughout 2007–2009, CAHIA provided consultation in spatial analysis, remote sensing, and development of
map products for International Services’ screwworm project. The information generated from these activities
allows managers to assess areas at higher risk for disease transmission and subsequently implement targeted
surveillance efforts to more quickly eradicate screwworm outbreaks.
CEAH has a pilot project in development involving the use of new methodology for utilization of swine slaughter
condemnation data for early identification of emerging diseases and syndromes.
CEAH participates on the epidemiology and the surveillance working groups of the QUAD countries. Some of the
projects include harmonization of surveillance approaches, comparison and validation of disease spread models,
and a pilot study on the application of compartmentalization. In addition, in collaboration with the Canadian Food
Safety Inspection Agency and Mexico, CEAH is developing the North American Foot-and-Mouth Disease
Vaccine Bank Modeling Project.
CEAH continued the development of the Tool for Assessment of Intervention Options (TAIO), a decision support
tool designed to help evaluate and compare the value of different response options for a particular disease event or
incursion. TAIO aids in joining expert and empirical knowledge, from multiple disciplines, in a transparent and
replicable system of analysis.
3.
Placement of expert consultants at the disposal of the OIE
CEAH participated in the revision of the OIE Handbook on risk analysis. The Handbook will be published by the
OIE in 2010.
CEAH is represented on an OIE work group tasked with developing a surveillance manual that provides a
standardized and practical approach to surveillance planning and methods for surveillance analysis in OIE member
countries.
CEAH has been represented in the OIE ad hoc group on epidemiology group since its creation in 2003. The group
is composed of epidemiologists from different member countries. The group is currently chaired by the CEAH
representative and meets three to four times a year. The group has drafted and reviewed several chapters and
appendices for the Terrestrial Animal Health Code.
CEAH’s representative to the OIE’s group on epidemiology is coordinating the development of a white paper on a
global strategy for the control of foot-and-mouth disease. This effort includes other OIE and FAO experts on
FMD.
CEAH is represented in the steering committee of the OIE-FAO network on animal influenza (OFFLU) and the
representative chairs OFFLU’s group on applied epidemiology.
2
Annual reports of OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres, 2009
Animal Disease Surveillance Systems, Risk Analysis and Epidemiological Modelling
`CEAH participated in the International conference on Evolving Veterinary Education for a Safer World.
Presented the topic “Education and training needs to improve animal disease surveillance systems” and prepared a
paper for publication. Paris October 12-14, 2009
OIE Mission to assess FMD control programs in South America. CEAH has participated in three consecutive OIE
missions to Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay to assess their control programs and provide
recommendations. These recommendations led to a revision of the status granted by the OIE to some of these
countries and established a high surveillance zone along the borders of these countries.
A member of CEAH, trained by the OIE on the use of the PVS tool, participated on an assessment of the
veterinary services of Nepal. This supports the OIE mandate to strengthen veterinary services.
CEAH collaborated with the OIE Regional Office for the Americas by providing approaches to assess cost-benefit
analysis of animal health programs.
Other activities related to the mandate
of OIE Collaborating Centres
4.
Provision of scientific and technical training, within the remit of the mandate given by the OIE, to
personnel from OIE Members
CAHIA provided spatial epidemiology training in GIS and GPS to member-country personnel in Trinidad (May
2009); and Nigeria (May 2009).
CEAH is involved in an ongoing program to increase animal health surveillance capacity in the Caribbean. In
2009, CEAH participated in the epidemiology working group and the tick and tick-borne diseases for this
program, and coordinated and delivered a project-based training workshop on the application of epidemiologic
methods for Caribbean veterinarians in coordination with APHIS-IS, CIRAD, IICA, Colorado State University
and CaribVet; Fort Collins, CO, USA; September 21–30.
VS provided expertise and recommendations through conduction of a needs assessment focusing on animal health
issues for veterinarians in Kazakhstan to better meet the country’s surveillance goals and to begin to work toward
meeting international sanitary standards.
The Introduction to Epidemiologic Simulation Modeling Course addresses concepts of disease spread and control
from the perspective of the modeller, culminating in the use of and development of parameters for a detailed
stochastic, temporal, spatial simulation model of contagious disease using the North American Animal Disease
Spread Model (NAADSM).
CEAH participated in a project to facilitate trade from the countries in the Horn of Africa to the Middle East. This
included two workshops/training events held in Kenya and a short seminar presented to CVO’s from the Middle
East prior to the OIE conference of the OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East in Doha, Qatar.
CEAH organized the International course on veterinary epidemiology. Fort Collins, August 24- September 4,
2009.
CEAH organized the International course on applied epidemiology for Caribbean veterinary epidemiologists (VEP
project). Fort Collins, September 21- October 2, 2009
CEAH participated in the OIE ad hoc Group on modelling to: 1) provide guidance on when and how
epidemiological models may be useful for the management of animal diseases; 2) provide guidance on the
requirements for the application of epidemiological models for different situations and purposes; and 3) provide
guidance on incorporating model outputs in the decision-making process.
CEAH hosted and provided training and information to visitors from Thailand under the CDC FELTP program.
CEAH hosted and provided training and information to visitors from the Dong-Fang Law Institute in China to
assess veterinary infrastructure needs.
Annual reports of OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres, 2009
3
Animal Disease Surveillance Systems, Risk Analysis and Epidemiological Modelling
5.
Organisation of scientific meetings on behalf of the OIE
None to report
6.
Coordination of scientific and technical studies in collaboration with other laboratories,
organisations or collaborating centres
CEAH collaborated with FAO in identifying risk factors for persistence and spread of H5N1 highly pathogenic
avian influenza (HPAI) at country, regional, and global scales.
CEAH provides information to OIE and FAO about disease outbreaks detected through international scanning
efforts. FAO provides CAHIA information through the weekly GLEWS reports.
CEAH provided technical assistance, training visit, and sharing of expertise to orient South American countries to
the South American Animal Disease Spread Model. A final meeting with pilot project representatives in Brazil
and Chile is scheduled for February of 2010 in Canada so the modified version of NAADSM (version 5 beta) can
be explored with real data from Chile, Brazil and PANAFTOSA. The final meeting for this three-year project to
present the full beta version of NAADSM 5.0 is scheduled for March of 2010 in Rio de Janeiro, where
epidemiologists will be invited from all South American countries.
A relative validation of four simulation models of foot-and-mouth disease in use by the quadrilateral countries
(Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States) is being conducted. Given the difficulties of validating
complex simulation models, this type of multi-model comparison can be a valuable approach to building
confidence in models as decision support tools for disease managers.
In conjunction with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Mexico’s Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad
y Calidad Agroalimentaria, CEAH is providing estimates of the number of doses of foot-and-mouth disease
vaccine needed to be stockpiled in the event of an outbreak. Estimates are based on modeling being conducted
using NAADSM.
CEAH is collaborating with the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, UK, to develop a tool for evaluating
surveillance. The project’s overall aim is to develop a reproducible evaluation toolbox that can be applied to
surveillance systems.
International Aquaculture Surveillance Activities. CEAH collaborates internationally on aquaculture-related
activities. Countries with shared waters and/or trade interests have embarked on several efforts to harmonize
standards for aquatic animal disease surveillance and control. CEAH collaborated with:

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and other Canadian scientists to harmonize aquatic disease
surveillance and control bilaterally.

Chilean scientists to further infectious salmon anemia control efforts in Chile.

The Working Group on Environmental Interactions of Marine Aquaculture (WGEIMA). The primary goal of
the WGEIMA is to develop standard methods and tools to assess and compare the environmental interactions
and characteristics of marine aquaculture activities in PICES member-countries, including the U.S.

The Scientific subcommittee of the upcoming International Conference on Animal Health Surveillance. This
conference is intended to facilitate international collaboration on epidemiological methods to evaluate and
design disease surveillance and control.
CEAH submitted to the OIE a twinning proposal with the China Animal Health Epidemiology Center. The
purpose of the proposal is to increase and harmonize expertise in veterinary epidemiology, surveillance, risk
assessment and economic analysis
4
Annual reports of OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres, 2009
Animal Disease Surveillance Systems, Risk Analysis and Epidemiological Modelling
7.
Publication and dissemination of any information within the remit of the mandate given by the
OIE that may be useful to Members of the OIE
CEAH collects, coordinates and disseminates global emerging animal disease information on a weekly basis via
the Internet-based “Animal Health Tracks” and collaborates as needed on information sharing of emerging animal
disease events with OIE and FAO.
Weber, W.D. Development of an Animal Health Monitoring System Based on Slaughter Condemnation Data.
Presented December 3, 2009 at the International Society for Disease Surveillance 2009 annual conference, Miami,
FL. Abstract forthcoming at: http://www.syndromic.org/.
Akkina, J.E.; Kristensen, R.C.; Williams, E.S. Monitoring of Open-Source Surveillance Data on Emerging Animal
Disease Events Using an Aberration Detection Algorithm. International Society for Disease Surveillance
Conference. December 3–4, 2009. Miami, FL.
Akkina, J.E.; Kristensen, R.C.; Bridges, V.E. Descriptive Analysis of Global Avian Emerging Disease Events,
Excluding Avian Influenza, Collected via Open Source Surveillance, 2005–2007. International Symposium on
Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics Conference. August 10–14, 2009. Durban, South Africa.
Traub-Dargatz, J.; Bischoff, B. Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM). Equine Disease Quarterly
18(3):5.2009.
Johnson, K.K.; Stone, K.L.; Seitzinger, A.H.; Mitchell, D.R. Export Market Recovery Post-Livestock Disease
Outbreak. Presented at the Twelfth Conference of the International Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and
Economics, Durban, South Africa, August 2009.
Mitchell, D.R.; Stone, K.L.; Seitzinger, A.H.; Johnson, K.K. Economic Impacts of an Outbreak of HPAI and
Associated Consumer Response. Presented at the Twelfth Conference of the International Society for Veterinary
Epidemiology and Economics, Durban, South Africa, August 2009.
Stone, K.L.; Johnson, K.K.; Mitchell, D.R.; Seitzinger, A.H. Economic Impacts of an Outbreak of HPAI and
Potential Market Disruptions. Presented at the Western Agricultural and Resources Economics Association annual
meeting, Kauai, Hawaii, June 2009.
NAHMS Reports
Beef 2007–08
 Beef 2007–08 Part I: Reference of Beef Cow-calf Management Practices in the United States, 2007–08 (96 p,
10/08 rev 4/09)
 Beef 2007–08 Part II: Reference of Beef Cow-calf Management Practices in the United States, 2007–08 (132
p, 2/09)
 Beef 2007–08 Part III: Changes in the U.S. Beef Cow-calf Industry, 1993–2008 (88 p, 5/09)
 Campylobacter on U.S. Beef Cow-calf Operations, 2007–08 (info sheet, 2 p, 6/09)
 Enterococcus on U.S. Beef Cow-calf Operations, 2007–08 (info sheet, 2 p, 6/09)
 Salmonella on U.S. Beef Cow-calf Operations, 2007–08 (info sheet, 2 p, 6/09)
 Persistent Infection of Calves with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus on U.S. Beef Cow-calf Operations (info sheet,
2 p, 6/09)
 Beef Producers' Perceptions About the Value of Testing for Persistent Infection with Bovine Viral Diarrhea
Virus in Calves (info sheet, 2 p, 6/09)
 Highlights of Beef 2007–08 Part III: Changes in the U.S. Beef Cow-calf Industry, 1993–2008 (info sheet, 2 p,
5/09)
 Cattle Identification Practices on U.S. Beef Cow-calf Operations (2 p, 2/09)
 Calving Management Practices on U.S. Beef Cow-calf Operations (2 p, 2/09)
 Bull Management Practices on U.S. Beef Cow-calf Operations (2 p, 2/09)
 Highlights of Beef 2007–08 Part II: Reference of Beef Cow-calf Management Practices in the United States,
2007-08 (2 p, 2/09)
 Highlights of Beef 2007–08 Part I: Reference of Beef Cow-calf Management Practices in the United States,
2007-08 (2 p, 12/08)
Annual reports of OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres, 2009
5
Animal Disease Surveillance Systems, Risk Analysis and Epidemiological Modelling
Dairy 2007
 Dairy 2007 Part III: Reference of Dairy Cattle Health and Management Practices in the United States, 2007
(154 p, 9/08)
 Dairy 2007 Part IV: Reference of Dairy Cattle Health and Management Practices in the United States, 2007
(185 p, 2/09, rev 6/09)
 Dairy 2007 Part V: Changes in Dairy Cattle Health and Management Practices in the United States, 1996–2007
(100 p, 7/09)
 Salmonella and Campylobacter on U.S. Dairy Operations, 1996–2007 (info sheet,
4 p, 7/09)
 Prevalence of Salmonella and Listeria in Bulk Tank Milk and In-line Filters on U.S. Dairies, 2007 (info sheet,
2 p, 7/09)
 Highlights of Dairy 2007 Part V: Changes in Dairy Cattle Health and Management Practices in the United
States, 1996–2007 (info sheet, 2 p, 7/09)
 Highlights of Dairy 2007 Part IV: Reference of Dairy Cattle Health and Management Practices in the United
States, 2007 (4 p, 2/09)
 Calving Intervention on U.S. Dairy Operations, 2007 (4 p, 2/09)
 Injection Practices on U.S. Dairy Operations, 2007 (4 p, 2/09)
 Reproduction Practices on U.S. Dairy Operations, 2007 (4 p, 2/09)
 Milking Procedures on U.S. Dairy Operations, 2007 (4 p, 10/08)
 Prevalence of Contagious Mastitis Pathogens on U.S. Dairy Operations, 2007 (2 p, 10/08)
 Bovine Leukosis Virus on U.S. Dairy Operations, 2007 (2 p, 10/08)
 Bovine Viral Diarrhea Management Practices and Detection in Bulk Tank Milk in the United States, 2007 (4 p,
10/08)
 Antibiotic Use on U.S. Dairy Operations, 2002 and 2007 (5 p, 10/08)
Swine 2006
 Swine 2006 Part IV: Changes in the U.S. Pork Industry, 1990-2006 (51 p, 11/08)
 Salmonella on U.S. Swine Sites--Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility (3 p, 1/09)
 Escherichia coli on U.S. Swine Sites--Antimicrobial Drug Susceptibility (2 p, 1/09)
 Nursery and Grower/Finisher Management in Swine 2000 and Swine 2006 (4 p, 1/09)
 Sow and Gilt Management on Swine 2000 and Swine 2006 (3 p, 1/09)
 Swine Influenza Virus (H1 and H3) Seroprevalence on U.S. Swine Operations (2 p, 1/09)
 PRRS Seroprevalence on U.S. Swine Operations (2 p, 1/09)
 Campylobacter on U.S. Swine Sites--Antimicrobial Susceptibility (2 p, 12/08)
 Highlights of Swine 2006 Part IV: Changes in the U.S. Pork Industry, 1990-2006 (2 p, 12/08)
Small-Enterprise Swine 2007
 Small-Enterprise Swine 2007: Reference of Management Practices on Small-Enterprise Swine Operations in
the United States, 2007 (92 p, 2/09)
 Highlights of Small-Enterprise Swine 2007 Study (2 p, 2/09)
Goat 2009
 National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) to Study Goat Industry in 2009 (2 p, 4/09)
 NAHMS Goat 2009 study brochure (4/09)
Cattle Death Loss
 Cattle and Calves Predator Death Loss in the United States (56 p, 9/08)
 Highlights of NAHMS Cattle and Calves Predator Death Loss Study (2 p, 10/08)
2008 Animal Health Report
 2007 U.S. Animal Health Report (182 p, 12/09)
Miscellaneous
Antognoli MC, Lombard JE, Wagner BA, McCluskey BJ, Van Kessel JS, Karns JS. Risk factors associated with
the presence of viable Listeria monocytogenes in bulk tank milk from US dairies. Zoonoses and Public Health
2009; 56(2):77–83.
Beam AL, Lombard, JE, Kopral CA, Garber LP, Winter Al, Hicks JA, Schalter JL. Prevalence of failure of
passive transfer of immunity in newborn heifer calves and associated management practices on U.S. dairy
operations. Journal of Dairy Science 2009; 92(8):3973–3980.
6
Annual reports of OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres, 2009
Animal Disease Surveillance Systems, Risk Analysis and Epidemiological Modelling
Dargatz DA. What is normal? A field approach to characterizing health and management of the nation's animal
populations. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 2009; 88(2):94–100.
Dennis MM, Thomsen BV, Marshall KL, Hall SM, Wagner BA, Salman MD, Norden DK, Gaiser C, Sutton DL.
Evaluation of immunohistochemical detection of prion protein in rectoanal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue for
diagnosis of Scrapie in sheep. American Journal of Veterinary Research 2009; 70(1):63–72.
Dewey C, Haley C, Widowski T, Friendship RM, Sunstrom J, Richardson K. Using data collected for production
or economic purposes to research production animal welfare: an epidemiological approach. Journal of Applied
Animal Welfare Science 2009; 23(2):105–113.
Duarte PC, Morley PS, Traub-Dargatz JL, Creekmore LH. Factors associated with vesicular stomatitis in
animals in the western United States. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2008; 232(2):249–
256.
Garber LP, Forde-Folle K, Beam AL, Hill GW. Survey of small-enterprise chicken operations in the United
States. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 2009; 90:3-4):204–210.
Haley C, Dewey C, Widowski T, Friendship RM. Association between in-transit loss, internal trailer-temperature,
and distance traveled by Ontario market hogs. Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 2008; 72(5):385–389.
Haley C, Dewey C, Widowski T, Poljak Z, Friendship RM. Factors associated with in-transit losses of market
hogs in Ontario in 2001. Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 2008; 72(5):377–384.
Hill AE, Green AL, Wagner BA, Dargatz DA. Relationship between herd size and annual prevalence of and
primary antimicrobial treatments for common diseases on dairy operations in the United States. Preventive
Veterinary Medicine 2009; 88(4):264–277.
Hill DE, Haley C, Wagner B, Gamble HR Dubey JP. Seroprevalence of and risk factors for toxoplasma gondii in
the U.S. swine herd using sera collected during the National Animal Health Monitoring Survey (Swine 2006).
Zoonoses Public Health 2009, September 10.
McConnel CS, Garry FB, Lombard JE, Kidd JA, Hill AE, Gould DH. A necropsy-based desriptive study of dairy
cow deaths on a Colorado dairy. Journal of Dairy Science 2009; 92(5):1954–1962.
Paarlberg PL, Seitzinger AH, Lee JG, Mathews KH. Supply reductions, export restrictions, and expectations for
hog returns in a potential classical swine fever outbreak in the United States. Journal of Swine Health and
Production 2009; 17(3):155–162.
Robinson TR, Hussey SB, Hill AE, Heckendorf CC, Stricklin JB, Traub-Dargatz JL. Comparison of temperature
readings from a percutaneous thermal sensing microchip with temperature readings from a digital rectal
thermometer in equids. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2008; 233(4):613–617.
Sanderson M, Dargatz DA, Wagner BA. BVDV in calves in U.S. beef cow-calf herds. American Association of
Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, 2009.
Traub-Dargatz JL, Dargatz DA. Antibacterial drug resistance and equine practice. Equine Veterinary Education
2009; 21(1):49–56.
Van Donkersgoed J, Bohaychuk V, Besser T, Song X.-M, Wagner B, Hancock D, Renter D, Dargatz D.
Occurrence of foodborne bacteria in Alberta feedlots. Canadian Veterinary Journal 2009; 50(2):166–172.
Virgin J, Van Slyke T, Lombard J, Zadoks R. Short communication: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) detection in bulk tank milk. Journal of Dairy Science 2009; 92:4988–4991.
_______________
Annual reports of OIE Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres, 2009
7