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Goicolea T, Cisneros-Araújo P, Vega CA, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM, Mateo-Sánchez MC, Bosch J. Landscape connectivity for predicting the spread of ASF in the European wild boar population. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3414. [PMID: 38341478 PMCID: PMC10858927 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53869-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF) is an infectious and highly fatal disease affecting wild and domestic swine, which is unstoppably spreading worldwide. In Europe, wild boars are one of the main drivers of spread, transmission, and maintenance of the disease. Landscape connectivity studies are the main discipline to analyze wild-species dispersal networks, and it can be an essential tool to predict dispersal-wild boar movement routes and probabilities and therefore the associated potential ASF spread through the suitable habitat. We aimed to integrate wild boar habitat connectivity predictions with their occurrence, population abundance, and ASF notifications to calculate the impact (i.e., the capacity of a landscape feature to favor ASF spread) and the risk (i.e., the likelihood of a habitat patch becoming infected) of wild boar infection across Europe. Furthermore, we tested the accuracy of the risk of infection by comparing the results with the temporal distribution of ASF cases. Our findings identified the areas with the highest impact and risk factors within Europe's central and Eastern regions where ASF is currently distributed. Additionally, the impact factor was 31 times higher on habitat patches that were infected vs non-infected, proving the utility of the proposed approach and the key role of wild boar movements in ASF-spread. All data and resulting maps are openly accessible and usable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Goicolea
- ETSI Montes, Forestal y del Medio Natural, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Biology (Botany), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Cisneros-Araújo
- ETSI Montes, Forestal y del Medio Natural, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cecilia Aguilar Vega
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Center, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Animal HealthFaculty of Veterinary, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Manuel Sánchez-Vizcaíno
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Center, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Animal HealthFaculty of Veterinary, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - MCruz Mateo-Sánchez
- ETSI Montes, Forestal y del Medio Natural, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jaime Bosch
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Center, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Animal HealthFaculty of Veterinary, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
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Amenu K, McIntyre KM, Moje N, Knight-Jones T, Rushton J, Grace D. Approaches for disease prioritization and decision-making in animal health, 2000-2021: a structured scoping review. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1231711. [PMID: 37876628 PMCID: PMC10593474 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1231711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
This scoping review identifies and describes the methods used to prioritize diseases for resource allocation across disease control, surveillance, and research and the methods used generally in decision-making on animal health policy. Three electronic databases (Medline/PubMed, Embase, and CAB Abstracts) were searched for articles from 2000 to 2021. Searches identified 6, 395 articles after de-duplication, with an additional 64 articles added manually. A total of 6, 460 articles were imported to online document review management software (sysrev.com) for screening. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 532 articles passed the first screening, and after a second round of screening, 336 articles were recommended for full review. A total of 40 articles were removed after data extraction. Another 11 articles were added, having been obtained from cross-citations of already identified articles, providing a total of 307 articles to be considered in the scoping review. The results show that the main methods used for disease prioritization were based on economic analysis, multi-criteria evaluation, risk assessment, simple ranking, spatial risk mapping, and simulation modeling. Disease prioritization was performed to aid in decision-making related to various categories: (1) disease control, prevention, or eradication strategies, (2) general organizational strategy, (3) identification of high-risk areas or populations, (4) assessment of risk of disease introduction or occurrence, (5) disease surveillance, and (6) research priority setting. Of the articles included in data extraction, 50.5% had a national focus, 12.3% were local, 11.9% were regional, 6.5% were sub-national, and 3.9% were global. In 15.2% of the articles, the geographic focus was not specified. The scoping review revealed the lack of comprehensive, integrated, and mutually compatible approaches to disease prioritization and decision support tools for animal health. We recommend that future studies should focus on creating comprehensive and harmonized frameworks describing methods for disease prioritization and decision-making tools in animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kebede Amenu
- Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs) Programme, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Veterinary, Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Bishoftu, Ethiopia
- Animal and Human Health Program, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - K. Marie McIntyre
- Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs) Programme, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Modelling, Evidence and Policy Group, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Nebyou Moje
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Bishoftu, Ethiopia
| | - Theodore Knight-Jones
- Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs) Programme, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Animal and Human Health Program, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Jonathan Rushton
- Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs) Programme, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Delia Grace
- Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs) Programme, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Food and Markets Department, Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, London, United Kingdom
- Animal and Human Health Program, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
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3
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Pillai SP, West T, Anderson K, Fruetel JA, McNeil C, Hernandez P, Ball C, Beck N, Morse SA. Application of multi-criteria decision analysis techniques and decision support framework for informing select agent designation for agricultural animal pathogens. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1185743. [PMID: 37342506 PMCID: PMC10278572 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1185743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Division of Agricultural Select Agents and Toxins (DASAT) established a list of biological agents and toxins (Select Agent List) that potentially threaten agricultural health and safety, the procedures governing the transfer of those agents, and training requirements for entities working with them. Every 2 years the USDA DASAT reviews the Select Agent List, using subject matter experts (SMEs) to perform an assessment and rank the agents. To assist the USDA DASAT biennial review process, we explored the applicability of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques and a Decision Support Framework (DSF) in a logic tree format to identify pathogens for consideration as select agents, applying the approach broadly to include non-select agents to evaluate its robustness and generality. We conducted a literature review of 41 pathogens against 21 criteria for assessing agricultural threat, economic impact, and bioterrorism risk and documented the findings to support this assessment. The most prominent data gaps were those for aerosol stability and animal infectious dose by inhalation and ingestion routes. Technical review of published data and associated scoring recommendations by pathogen-specific SMEs was found to be critical for accuracy, particularly for pathogens with very few known cases, or where proxy data (e.g., from animal models or similar organisms) were used to address data gaps. The MCDA analysis supported the intuitive sense that select agents should rank high on the relative risk scale when considering agricultural health consequences of a bioterrorism attack. However, comparing select agents with non-select agents indicated that there was not a clean break in scores to suggest thresholds for designating select agents, requiring subject matter expertise collectively to establish which analytical results were in good agreement to support the intended purpose in designating select agents. The DSF utilized a logic tree approach to identify pathogens that are of sufficiently low concern that they can be ruled out from consideration as a select agent. In contrast to the MCDA approach, the DSF rules out a pathogen if it fails to meet even one criteria threshold. Both the MCDA and DSF approaches arrived at similar conclusions, suggesting the value of employing the two analytical approaches to add robustness for decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Segaran P. Pillai
- Office of the Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Todd West
- Sandia National Laboratories, U.S. Department of Energy, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Kevin Anderson
- Science and Technology Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Julia A. Fruetel
- Sandia National Laboratories, U.S. Department of Energy, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Carrie McNeil
- Sandia National Laboratories, U.S. Department of Energy, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Patricia Hernandez
- Sandia National Laboratories, U.S. Department of Energy, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Cameron Ball
- Sandia National Laboratories, U.S. Department of Energy, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Nataly Beck
- Sandia National Laboratories, U.S. Department of Energy, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Stephen A. Morse
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
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A Generic Risk Assessment Model for Animal Disease Entry through Wildlife: The Example of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and African Swine Fever in The Netherlands. Transbound Emerg Dis 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/9811141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Animal diseases can enter countries or regions through the movements of infected wildlife. A generic risk model would allow to quantify the risk of entry via this introduction route for different diseases and wildlife species, despite the vast variety in both, and help policy-makers to make informed decisions. Here, we propose such a generic risk assessment model and illustrate its application by assessing the risk of entry of African swine fever (ASF) through wild boar and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) through wild birds for the Netherlands between 2014–2021. We used disease outbreak data and abstracted movement patterns to populate a stochastic risk model. We found that the entry risk of HPAI fluctuated between the years, with a peak in 2021. In that year, we estimated the number of infected birds to reach the Dutch border by wild bird migration at 273 (95% uncertainty interval: 254–290). The probability that ASF outbreaks that occurred between 2014 and 2021 reached the Dutch border through wild boar movement was very low throughout the whole period; only the upper confidence bound indicated a small entry risk. On a yearly scale, the predicted entry risk for HPAI correlated well with the number of observed outbreaks. In conclusion, we present a generic and flexible framework to assess the entry risk of disease through wildlife. The model allows rapid and transparent estimation of the entry risk for diverse diseases and wildlife species. The modular structure of the model allows for adding nuance and complexity when required or when more data becomes available.
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5
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de Vos CJ, Petie R, van Klink EGM, Swanenburg M. Rapid risk assessment tool (RRAT) to prioritize emerging and re-emerging livestock diseases for risk management. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:963758. [PMID: 36157188 PMCID: PMC9490411 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.963758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing globalization and international trade contribute to rapid expansion of animal and human diseases. Hence, preparedness is warranted to prevent outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging diseases or detect outbreaks in an early stage. We developed a rapid risk assessment tool (RRAT) to inform risk managers on the incursion risk of multiple livestock diseases, about the main sources for incursion and the change of risk over time. RRAT was built as a relational database to link data on disease outbreaks worldwide, on introduction routes and on disease-specific parameters. The tool was parameterized to assess the incursion risk of 10 livestock diseases for the Netherlands by three introduction routes: legal trade in live animals, legal trade of animal products, and animal products illegally carried by air travelers. RRAT calculates a semi-quantitative risk score for the incursion risk of each disease, the results of which allow for prioritization. Results based on the years 2016-2018 indicated that the legal introduction routes had the highest incursion risk for bovine tuberculosis, whereas the illegal route posed the highest risk for classical swine fever. The overall incursion risk via the illegal route was lower than via the legal routes. The incursion risk of African swine fever increased over the period considered, whereas the risk of equine infectious anemia decreased. The variation in the incursion risk over time illustrates the need to update the risk estimates on a regular basis. RRAT has been designed such that the risk assessment can be automatically updated when new data becomes available. For diseases with high-risk scores, model results can be analyzed in more detail to see which countries and trade flows contribute most to the risk, the results of which can be used to design risk-based surveillance. RRAT thus provides a multitude of information to evaluate the incursion risk of livestock diseases at different levels of detail. To give risk managers access to all results of RRAT, an online visualization tool was built.
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Models to assess the risk of introduction of selected animal viral diseases through the importation of live animals as a key part of risk analysis. J Vet Res 2021; 65:383-389. [PMID: 35111990 PMCID: PMC8775722 DOI: 10.2478/jvetres-2021-0069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction of an animal viral disease, especially a notifiable disease, into an importing country or region free from the disease may lead to serious epidemiological consequences and economic losses. Trade in live animals is historically considered one of the most important risk pathways. To estimate the magnitude of such risk, the likelihood of a virus’ entry into a country and the consequences of this event should be jointly evaluated. Depending on data availability, the urgency of the problem and the detail level of the objectives, a risk assessment may be conducted in a qualitative, semi-quantitative or quantitative way. The purpose of this review was firstly to provide a brief description of each step of the risk analysis process, with particular emphasis on the risk assessment component, and subsequently to supply examples of different approaches to the assessment of the risk of the introduction of selected animal viral diseases. Based on the reviewed models, the overall likelihood of introduction of particular diseases was generally estimated as low. The output risk value was strongly dependent on the duration of the silent phase of the epidemic in the country of origin. Other parameters with some bearing upon the risk derived from the epidemiological situation in the country of origin and the biosecurity or mitigation measures implemented in the country of destination. The investigated models are universal tools for conducting assessment of the risk of introduction of various animal diseases to any country. Their application may lead to timely implementation of appropriate measures for the prevention of the spread of a disease to another country or region.
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7
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Mauroy A, Depoorter P, Saegerman C, Cay B, De Regge N, Filippitzi ME, Fischer C, Laitat M, Maes D, Morelle K, Nauwynck H, Simons X, van den Berg T, Van Huffel X, Thiry E, Dewulf J. Semi-quantitative risk assessment by expert elicitation of potential introduction routes of African swine fever from wild reservoir to domestic pig industry and subsequent spread during the Belgian outbreak (2018-2019). Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 68:2761-2773. [PMID: 33713549 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Since the introduction in Georgia in 2007 of an African swine fever (ASF) genotype 2 virus strain, the virus has rapidly spread to both Western European and Asian countries. It now constitutes a major threat for the global swine industry. The ongoing European transmission cycle has been related to the 'wild boar habitat' with closed transmission events between wild boar populations and incidental spillovers to commercial and non-commercial (backyard) pig holdings. During the epidemic in Belgium, only wild boar were infected and although the introduction route has not yet been elucidated, the 'human factor' is highly suspected. While ASF was successfully contained in a small region in the Southern part of Belgium without affecting domestic pigs, the risk of spillover at the wild/domestic interface remains poorly assessed. In this study, we used a semi-quantitative method, involving national and international experts, to assess the risk associated with different transmission routes for ASF introduction from wild boar to domestic pig holdings and subsequent dissemination between holdings in the Belgian epidemiological context. Qualitative responses obtained by our questionnaire were numerically transformed and statistically processed to provide a semi-quantitative assessment of the occurrence of the hazard and a ranking of all transmission routes. 'Farmer', 'bedding material', 'veterinarian' and 'professionals from the pig sector' were considered as the most important transmission routes for ASF introduction from the wild reservoir to pig holdings. 'Animal movements', 'farmer', 'veterinarian', 'iatrogenic', 'animal transport truck' and 'animal care equipment' were considered as the most important transmission routes posing a risk of ASF spread between pig holdings. Combined with specific biosecurity checks in the holdings, this assessment helps in prioritizing risk mitigation measures against ASF introduction and further spread in the domestic pig industry, particularly while the ASF situation in Western Europe is worsening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel Mauroy
- Staff Direction for Risk Assessment, Directorate General Control Policy, Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Pieter Depoorter
- Staff Direction for Risk Assessment, Directorate General Control Policy, Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Claude Saegerman
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Research Unit in Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULiège), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal Health (FARAH) Centre, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Brigitte Cay
- Service of Enzootic, Vector-Borne and Bee Diseases, Scientific Direction Infectious Diseases in Animals, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nick De Regge
- Service of Enzootic, Vector-Borne and Bee Diseases, Scientific Direction Infectious Diseases in Animals, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Maria-Eleni Filippitzi
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Claude Fischer
- Dept. Nature Management, University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Martine Laitat
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Swine Clinic, Clinical Department of Production Animals, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Dominiek Maes
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Kevin Morelle
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Hans Nauwynck
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Xavier Simons
- Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Xavier Van Huffel
- Staff Direction for Risk Assessment, Directorate General Control Policy, Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Etienne Thiry
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Virology, FARAH Centre, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Dewulf
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
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8
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Kurian A, Hall WF, Neumann EJ. African swine fever: a New Zealand perspective on epidemiological risk factors for its occurrence. N Z Vet J 2021; 69:135-146. [PMID: 33570468 DOI: 10.1080/00480169.2021.1875934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
This article reviews key epidemiological and clinical features of African swine fever (ASF). We identify particular aspects of New Zealand's pig populations (commercial, non-commercial, and wild) that may affect the risk of disease entry or spread. Review of published literature is supplemented by analysis of demographic and spatial aspects of the New Zealand commercial, non-commercial, and feral pig populations to provide context around risk factors for the disease that are most relevant to New Zealand. The current Eurasian outbreak of ASF, including recent spread into Oceania, has increased the risk of an incursion of the disease into New Zealand. Large volumes of fresh pork importation (including from countries affected by ASF), large non-commercial pig populations with substantial spatial overlap with the country's commercial industry, limited monitoring of compliance with waste food feeding regulations, and lack of mandatory premises identification for non-commercial pig holdings would likely contribute to the risk of spread of ASF in the event of an incursion. Awareness amongst veterinarians of these risk factors will contribute to national biosecurity and disease preparedness efforts in New Zealand.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Kurian
- Epi-Insight Limited, East Taieri, New Zealand
| | - W F Hall
- William Hall and Associates, Googong, NSW, Australia
| | - E J Neumann
- Epi-Insight Limited, East Taieri, New Zealand
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9
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Brown VR, Miller RS, McKee SC, Ernst KH, Didero NM, Maison RM, Grady MJ, Shwiff SA. Risks of introduction and economic consequences associated with African swine fever, classical swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease: A review of the literature. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:1910-1965. [PMID: 33176063 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF), classical swine fever (CSF) and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) are considered to be three of the most detrimental animal diseases and are currently foreign to the U.S. Emerging and re-emerging pathogens can have tremendous impacts in terms of livestock morbidity and mortality events, production losses, forced trade restrictions, and costs associated with treatment and control. The United States is the world's top producer of beef for domestic and export use and the world's third-largest producer and consumer of pork and pork products; it has also recently been either the world's largest or second largest exporter of pork and pork products. Understanding the routes of introduction into the United States and the potential economic impact of each pathogen are crucial to (a) allocate resources to prevent routes of introduction that are believed to be more probable, (b) evaluate cost and efficacy of control methods and (c) ensure that protections are enacted to minimize impact to the most vulnerable industries. With two scoping literature reviews, pulled from global data, this study assesses the risk posed by each disease in the event of a viral introduction into the United States and illustrates what is known about the economic costs and losses associated with an outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vienna R Brown
- National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Ryan S Miller
- Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Sophie C McKee
- National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Department of Economics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Karina H Ernst
- National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Department of Economics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Nicole M Didero
- National Feral Swine Damage Management Program, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Department of Economics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Rachel M Maison
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Meredith J Grady
- Human Dimensions of Natural Resources Department, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Stephanie A Shwiff
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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10
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Dellicour S, Desmecht D, Paternostre J, Malengreaux C, Licoppe A, Gilbert M, Linden A. Unravelling the dispersal dynamics and ecological drivers of the African swine fever outbreak in Belgium. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Dellicour
- Spatial Epidemiology Lab (SpELL) Université Libre de Bruxelles Bruxelles Belgium
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation Rega Institute, KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Daniel Desmecht
- FARAH Research Center Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Liège Liège Belgium
| | - Julien Paternostre
- FARAH Research Center Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Liège Liège Belgium
| | - Céline Malengreaux
- Department of Environmental and Agricultural Studies Public Service of Wallonia Gembloux Belgium
| | - Alain Licoppe
- Department of Environmental and Agricultural Studies Public Service of Wallonia Gembloux Belgium
| | - Marius Gilbert
- Spatial Epidemiology Lab (SpELL) Université Libre de Bruxelles Bruxelles Belgium
| | - Annick Linden
- FARAH Research Center Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Liège Liège Belgium
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11
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Salguero FJ. Comparative Pathology and Pathogenesis of African Swine Fever Infection in Swine. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:282. [PMID: 32509811 PMCID: PMC7248413 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
African Swine Fever (ASF) is a viral disease that affects animals of the Suidae family, and soft ticks from the genus Ornithodoros can also be infected by the ASF virus (ASFV). The disease was first described in Africa at the beginning of the twentieth century as an acute disease characterized by high mortality and fatal hemorrhages. ASF has caused outbreaks in numerous countries and it continues to be devastating nowadays for the porcine sector in those countries affected, and a massive threat for those free of the disease. ASF can follow clinical courses from peracute to chronic in domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) depending on a variety of factors, including the immune status of the animals and the virulence of the ASFV strain. The key features of the pathogenesis of the disease in domestic swine are a) a severe lymphoid depletion including lymphopenia and a state of immunodeficiency, and b) hemorrhages. However, African wild swine like bushpigs (Potamochoerus larvatus), red river hogs (Potamochoerus porcus), and warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus) can be infected by ASFV showing no clinical signs of disease and acting as natural reservoir hosts. In this article we review the key features of the gross and microscopic pathology together with a description of the pathogenesis of ASFV infection in domestic pigs following the different clinical courses. The pathogenesis of ASF in wild and domestic swine is also described, what can provide important information for the design of control strategies, such as vaccines.
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12
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de Vos CJ, Taylor RA, Simons RRL, Roberts H, Hultén C, de Koeijer AA, Lyytikäinen T, Napp S, Boklund A, Petie R, Sörén K, Swanenburg M, Comin A, Seppä-Lassila L, Cabral M, Snary EL. Cross-Validation of Generic Risk Assessment Tools for Animal Disease Incursion Based on a Case Study for African Swine Fever. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:56. [PMID: 32133376 PMCID: PMC7039936 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, several generic risk assessment (RA) tools have been developed that can be applied to assess the incursion risk of multiple infectious animal diseases allowing for a rapid response to a variety of newly emerging or re-emerging diseases. Although these tools were originally developed for different purposes, they can be used to answer similar or even identical risk questions. To explore the opportunities for cross-validation, seven generic RA tools were used to assess the incursion risk of African swine fever (ASF) to the Netherlands and Finland for the 2017 situation and for two hypothetical scenarios in which ASF cases were reported in wild boar and/or domestic pigs in Germany. The generic tools ranged from qualitative risk assessment tools to stochastic spatial risk models but were all parameterized using the same global databases for disease occurrence and trade in live animals and animal products. A comparison of absolute results was not possible, because output parameters represented different endpoints, varied from qualitative probability levels to quantitative numbers, and were expressed in different units. Therefore, relative risks across countries and scenarios were calculated for each tool, for the three pathways most in common (trade in live animals, trade in animal products, and wild boar movements) and compared. For the 2017 situation, all tools evaluated the risk to the Netherlands to be higher than Finland for the live animal trade pathway, the risk to Finland the same or higher as the Netherlands for the wild boar pathway, while the tools were inconclusive on the animal products pathway. All tools agreed that the hypothetical presence of ASF in Germany increased the risk to the Netherlands, but not to Finland. The ultimate aim of generic RA tools is to provide risk-based evidence to support risk managers in making informed decisions to mitigate the incursion risk of infectious animal diseases. The case study illustrated that conclusions on the ASF risk were similar across the generic RA tools, despite differences observed in calculated risks. Hence, it was concluded that the cross-validation contributed to the credibility of their results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clazien J. de Vos
- Department of Bacteriology and Epidemiology, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR), Wageningen University & Research, Lelystad, Netherlands
| | - Rachel A. Taylor
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, United Kingdom
| | - Robin R. L. Simons
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Roberts
- Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Aline A. de Koeijer
- Department of Bacteriology and Epidemiology, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR), Wageningen University & Research, Lelystad, Netherlands
| | | | - Sebastian Napp
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA IRTA-UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Anette Boklund
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Section for Animal Welfare and Disease Control, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Ronald Petie
- Department of Bacteriology and Epidemiology, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR), Wageningen University & Research, Lelystad, Netherlands
| | - Kaisa Sörén
- National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Manon Swanenburg
- Department of Bacteriology and Epidemiology, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR), Wageningen University & Research, Lelystad, Netherlands
| | - Arianna Comin
- National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Maria Cabral
- Department of Bacteriology and Epidemiology, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR), Wageningen University & Research, Lelystad, Netherlands
| | - Emma L. Snary
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, United Kingdom
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Taylor RA, Condoleo R, Simons RRL, Gale P, Kelly LA, Snary EL. The Risk of Infection by African Swine Fever Virus in European Swine Through Boar Movement and Legal Trade of Pigs and Pig Meat. Front Vet Sci 2020; 6:486. [PMID: 31998765 PMCID: PMC6962172 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF) is currently spreading westwards throughout Europe and eastwards into China, with cases occurring in both wild boar and domestic pigs. A generic risk assessment framework is used to determine the probability of first infection with ASF virus (ASFV) at a fine spatial scale across European Union Member States. The framework aims to assist risk managers across Europe with their ASF surveillance and intervention activities. Performing the risk assessment at a fine spatial scale allows for hot-spot surveillance, which can aid risk managers by directing surveillance or intervention resources at those areas or pathways deemed most at risk, and hence enables prioritization of limited resources. We use 2018 cases of ASF to estimate prevalence of the disease in both wild boar and pig populations and compute the risk of initial infection for 2019 at a 100 km2 cell resolution via three potential pathways: legal trade in live pigs, natural movement of wild boar, and legal trade in pig meat products. We consider the number of pigs, boar and amount of pig meat entering our area of interest, the prevalence of the disease in the origin country, the probability of exposure of susceptible pigs or boar in the area of interest to introduced infected pigs, boar, or meat from an infected pig, and the probability of transmission to susceptible animals. We provide maps across Europe indicating regions at highest risk of initial infection. Results indicate that the risk of ASF in 2019 was predominantly focused on those regions which already had numerous cases in 2018 (Poland, Lithuania, Hungary, Romania, and Latvia). The riskiest pathway for ASFV transmission to pigs was the movement of wild boar for Eastern European countries and legal trade of pigs for Western European countries. New infections are more likely to occur in wild boar rather than pigs, for both the pig meat and wild boar movement pathways. Our results provide an opportunity to focus surveillance activities and thus increase our ability to detect ASF introductions earlier, a necessary requirement if we are to successfully control the spread of this devastating disease for the pig industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Taylor
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roberto Condoleo
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, United Kingdom
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Lazio e Toscana “M. Aleandri”, Rome, Italy
| | - Robin R. L. Simons
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Gale
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, United Kingdom
| | - Louise A. Kelly
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Emma L. Snary
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Weybridge, United Kingdom
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14
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Liu J, Liu B, Shan B, Wei S, An T, Shen G, Chen Z. Prevalence of African Swine Fever in China, 2018-2019. J Med Virol 2019; 92:1023-1034. [PMID: 31769521 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.25638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF) has spread widely across China since 2018. It represents a significant threat to the pig production industry, as no treatment or vaccine is available for this disease. In this study, the geographical distribution and epidemiological features of ASF from all endemic regions of China were analyzed. We focused on the epidemiological data from 149 ASF cases among domestic pigs and wild boars, confirmed during 2018-2019. We found that, in the 1-year period from August 2018 to July 2019, ASF was reported in most geographical regions of the country, which comprises 31 provinces. The outbreaks were mainly located along the important economic zones and tended to increase southward in general. The southwest region was the most severely affected, with 22% of cases, followed by the Northeast, with 20% of cases. There was no significant difference among other regions. Additionally, the overall mean rate of case-incidence/fatality was 12.5% and 64%, respectively, in this period and varied significantly different months, with a general trend towards a decrease over time. The highest incidence rate (30.4%) occurred in April-May 2019, and the highest fatality rate (81.21%) in October-November 2018, demonstrating the marked seasonality in ASF transmission. Furthermore, anthropogenic effects were a major significant risk factor for the spread of the disease. In summary, this initial epidemiological analysis of ASF provides a global perspective on ASF and facilitates detection of trends and patterns, which will be useful for updating preventive actions at a national level and evaluating their impact on public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinling Liu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Bangzuo Liu
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Baiqiang Shan
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shu Wei
- The Preventive Center of Animal Disease of LiaoNing Province, Shenbei, Shenyang, China
| | - Tongqing An
- Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xiangfang, Harbin, China
| | - Guoshun Shen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
| | - Zeliang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases in Northeast China, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Science & Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, China
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Golnar AJ, Martin E, Wormington JD, Kading RC, Teel PD, Hamer SA, Hamer GL. Reviewing the Potential Vectors and Hosts of African Swine Fever Virus Transmission in the United States. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019; 19:512-524. [PMID: 30785371 PMCID: PMC6602103 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
African swine fever virus (ASFV) continues to threaten global animal health and agricultural biosecurity. Mitigating the establishment of ASFV in the United States (U.S.) is contingent on (1) the identification of arthropod vectors and vertebrate hosts that are capable of viral maintenance and transmission in the U.S. and (2) knowledge of vector-host associations that may permit transmission. We aggregated data on vector competence, host competence and tick–host associations by systematic review of published articles and collection records to identify species that may support the invasion of ASFV in the U.S. Three species of competent soft ticks occur in the U.S., Ornithodoros coriaceus, Ornithodoros turicata, and Ornithodoros puertoricensis, however, vector competence for the majority of soft ticks in the U.S. remains unknown. Three species of competent vertebrate hosts currently occur in the U.S.: domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus), feral hogs (Sus scrofa), and common warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus). Hierarchical hazard categories based on vector competence, tick–host contact rates, and vector abundance were used to semiquantitatively rank U.S. soft tick species by their relative risk for contributing to ASFV transmission to identify which soft tick species are a priority for future studies. High-risk vector and host species identified in this study can be used to focus ASFV risk assessments in the U.S., guide targeted surveillance and control strategies, and proactively prepare for an ASFV incursion event. Results indicate O. coriaceus, O. turicata, and O. puertoricensis demonstrate the highest relative risk for contributing to ASFV transmission in the U.S., however, many gaps in knowledge exist preventing the full evaluation of at least 30 soft tick species in the U.S. Further study is required to identify soft tick vectors that interact with feral swine populations, elucidate vector competence, and further understand the biology of soft tick species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Golnar
- 1 Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Estelle Martin
- 1 Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Jillian D Wormington
- 2 Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Rebekah C Kading
- 3 Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Pete D Teel
- 1 Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Sarah A Hamer
- 2 Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Gabriel L Hamer
- 1 Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
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16
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Jurado C, Martínez-Avilés M, De La Torre A, Štukelj M, de Carvalho Ferreira HC, Cerioli M, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM, Bellini S. Relevant Measures to Prevent the Spread of African Swine Fever in the European Union Domestic Pig Sector. Front Vet Sci 2018; 5:77. [PMID: 29713637 PMCID: PMC5912175 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
During the past decade, African swine fever (ASF) has spread from the Caucasus region to eastern European Union countries affecting domestic pig and wild boar populations. In order to avert ASF spread, mitigation measures targeting both populations have been established. However, despite these efforts, ASF has been reported in thirteen different countries (Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Moldova, Czech Republic, and Romania). In the absence of an effective vaccine or treatment to ASF, introduction and spread of ASF onto domestic pig farms can only be prevented by strict compliance to control measures. This study systematically reviewed available measures to prevent the spread of ASF in the EU domestic pig sector distinguishing between commercial, non-commercial, and outdoor farms. The search was performed in PubMed and using a common browser. A total of 52 documents were selected for the final review process, which included scientific articles, reports, EU documents and official recommendations, among others. From this literature review, 37 measures were identified as preventive measures for the introduction and spread of ASF. Subsequently, these measures were assessed by ASF experts for their relevance in the mitigation of ASF spread on the three mentioned types of farms. All experts agreed that some of the important preventive measures for all three types of farms were: the identification of animals and farm records; strict enforcement of the ban on swill feeding; and containment of pigs, so as to not allow direct or indirect pig–pig and/or pig–wild boar contacts. Other important preventive measures for all farms were education of farmers, workers, and operators; no contact between farmers and farm staff and external pigs; appropriate removal of carcasses, slaughter residues, and food waste; proper disposal of manure and dead animals, and abstaining from hunting activities during the previous 48 h (allowing a 48 h interval between hunting and being in contact with domestic pigs). Finally, all experts identified that the important preventive measures for non-commercial and outdoor farms is to improve access of those farms to veterinarians and health services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Jurado
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-Avilés
- Animal Health Research Centre, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CISA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana De La Torre
- Animal Health Research Centre, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CISA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marina Štukelj
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Monica Cerioli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia ed Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
| | - José Manuel Sánchez-Vizcaíno
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre, Animal Health Department, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Bellini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia ed Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Brescia, Italy
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17
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Horigan V, De Nardi M, Simons RRL, Bertolini S, Crescio MI, Estrada-Peña A, Léger A, Maurella C, Ru G, Schuppers M, Stärk KDC, Adkin A. Using multi-criteria risk ranking methodology to select case studies for a generic risk assessment framework for exotic disease incursion and spread through Europe. Prev Vet Med 2018; 153:47-55. [PMID: 29653734 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2018.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
We present a novel approach of using the multi-criteria pathogen prioritisation methodology as a basis for selecting the most appropriate case studies for a generic risk assessment framework. The approach uses selective criteria to rank exotic animal health pathogens according to the likelihood of introduction and the impact of an outbreak if it occurred in the European Union (EU). Pathogens were evaluated based on their impact on production at the EU level and international trade. A subsequent analysis included criteria of relevance to quantitative risk assessment case study selection, such as the availability of data for parameterisation, the need for further research and the desire for the case studies to cover different routes of transmission. The framework demonstrated is flexible with the ability to adjust both the criteria and their weightings to the user's requirements. A web based tool has been developed using the RStudio shiny apps software, to facilitate this.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Horigan
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK.
| | - M De Nardi
- SAFOSO AG, Waldeggstrasse 1, CH3097 Liebefeld, Switzerland
| | - R R L Simons
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - S Bertolini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta (IZSPLVA), Italy
| | - M I Crescio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta (IZSPLVA), Italy
| | - A Estrada-Peña
- University of Zaragoza (UNIZAR), Calle de Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - A Léger
- SAFOSO AG, Waldeggstrasse 1, CH3097 Liebefeld, Switzerland
| | - C Maurella
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta (IZSPLVA), Italy
| | - G Ru
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta (IZSPLVA), Italy
| | - M Schuppers
- SAFOSO AG, Waldeggstrasse 1, CH3097 Liebefeld, Switzerland
| | - K D C Stärk
- SAFOSO AG, Waldeggstrasse 1, CH3097 Liebefeld, Switzerland
| | - A Adkin
- Department of Epidemiological Sciences, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
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Núñez-Hernández F, Pérez LJ, Muñoz M, Vera G, Accensi F, Sánchez A, Rodríguez F, Núñez JI. Differential expression of porcine microRNAs in African swine fever virus infected pigs: a proof-of-concept study. Virol J 2017; 14:198. [PMID: 29041944 PMCID: PMC5646143 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-017-0864-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND African swine fever (ASF) is a re-expanding devastating viral disease currently threatening the pig industry worldwide. MicroRNAs are a class of 17-25 nucleotide non- coding RNAs that have been shown to have critical functions in a wide variety of biological processes, such as cell differentiation, cell cycle regulation, carcinogenesis, apoptosis, regulation of immunity as well as in viral infections by cleavage or translational repression of mRNAs. Nevertheless, there is no information about miRNA expression in an ASFV infection. METHODS In this proof-of-concept study, we have analyzed miRNAs expressed in spleen and submandibular lymph node of experimentally infected pigs with a virulent (E75) or its derived attenuated (E75CV1) ASFV strain, as well as, at different times post-infection with the virulent strain, by high throughput sequencing of small RNA libraries. RESULTS Spleen presented a more differential expression pattern than lymph nodes in an ASFV infection. Of the most abundant miRNAs, 12 were differentially expressed in both tissues at two different times in infected animals with the virulent strain. Of these, miR-451, miR-145-5p, miR-181a and miR-122 presented up-regulation at late times post-infection while miR-92a, miR-23a, miR-92b-3p, miR-126-5p, miR-126-3p, miR-30d, miR-23b and miR-92c showed down-regulation. Of the 8 differentially expressed miRNAs identified at the same time post-infection in infected animals with the virulent strain compared with animals infected with its attenuated strain, miR-126-5p, miR-92c, miR-92a, miR-30e-5p and miR-500a-5p presented up-regulation whereas miR-125b, miR-451 and miR-125a were down-regulated. All these miRNAs have been shown to be associated with cellular genes involved in pathways related to the immune response, virus-host interactions as well as with several viral genes. CONCLUSION The study of miRNA expression will contribute to a better understanding of African swine fever virus pathogenesis, essential in the development of any disease control strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marta Muñoz
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Gonzalo Vera
- Departament de Genètica Animal, Centre de Recerca en AgriGenòmica (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesc Accensi
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.,Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Facultat de Veterinària, UAB, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Armand Sánchez
- Departament de Genètica Animal, Centre de Recerca en AgriGenòmica (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fernando Rodríguez
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Bellaterra, Spain
| | - José I Núñez
- IRTA, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Bellaterra, Spain.
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Vanderhoeven S, Adriaens T, Desmet P, Strubbe D, Backeljau T, Barbier Y, Brosens D, Cigar J, Coupremanne M, De Troch R, Eggermont H, Heughebaert A, Hostens K, Huybrechts P, Jacquemart AL, Lens L, Monty A, Paquet JY, Prévot C, Robertson T, Termonia P, Van De Kerchove R, Van Hoey G, Van Schaeybroeck B, Vercayie D, Verleye T, Welby S, Groom Q. Tracking Invasive Alien Species (TrIAS): Building a data-driven framework to inform policy. RESEARCH IDEAS AND OUTCOMES 2017. [DOI: 10.3897/rio.3.e13414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Imagine a future where dynamically, from year to year, we can track the progression of alien species (AS), identify emerging problem species, assess their current and future risk and timely inform policy in a seamless data-driven workflow. One that is built on open science and open data infrastructures. By using international biodiversity standards and facilities, we would ensure interoperability, repeatability and sustainability. This would make the process adaptable to future requirements in an evolving AS policy landscape both locally and internationally. In recent years, Belgium has developed decision support tools to inform invasive alien species (IAS) policy, including information systems, early warning initiatives and risk assessment protocols. However, the current workflows from biodiversity observations to IAS science and policy are slow, not easily repeatable, and their scope is often taxonomically, spatially and temporally limited. This is mainly caused by the diversity of actors involved and the closed, fragmented nature of the sources of these biodiversity data, which leads to considerable knowledge gaps for IAS research and policy. We will leverage expertise and knowledge from nine former and current BELSPO projects and initiatives: Alien Alert, Invaxen, Diars, INPLANBEL, Alien Impact, Ensis, CORDEX.be, Speedy and the Belgian Biodiversity Platform. The project will be built on two components: 1) The establishment of a data mobilization framework for AS data from diverse data sources and 2) the development of data-driven procedures for risk evaluation based on risk modelling, risk mapping and risk assessment. We will use facilities from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), standards from the Biodiversity Information Standards organization (TDWG) and expertise from Lifewatch to create and facilitate a systematic workflow. Alien species data will be gathered from a large set of regional, national and international initiatives, including citizen science with a wide taxonomic scope from marine, terrestrial and freshwater environments. Observation data will be funnelled in repeatable ways to GBIF. In parallel, a Belgian checklist of AS will be established, benefiting from various taxonomic and project-based checklists foreseen for GBIF publication. The combination of the observation data and the checklist will feed indicators for the identification of emerging species; their level of invasion in Belgium; changes in their invasion status and the identification of areas and species of concern that could be impacted upon by bioinvasions. Data-driven risk evaluation of identified emerging species will be supported by niche and climate modelling and consequent risk mapping using critical climatic variables for the current and projected future climate periods at high resolution. The resulting risk maps will complement risk assessments performed with the recently developed Harmonia+ protocol to assess risks posed by emergent species to biodiversity and human, plant, and animal health. The use of open data will ensure that interested stakeholders in Belgium and abroad can make use of the information we generate. The open science ensures everyone is free to adopt and adapt the workflow for different scenarios and regions. The checklist will be used at national level, but will also serve as the Belgian reference for international databases (IUCN - GRIIS, EASIN) and impact assessments (IPBES, SEBI). The workflow will be showcased through GEO BON, the Invasivesnet network and the COST Actions Alien Challenge and ParrotNet. The observations and outcomes of risk evaluations will be used to provide science-based support for the implementation of IAS policies at the regional, federal and EU levels. The publication of Belgian data and checklists on IAS is particularly timely in light of the currently ongoing EU IAS Regulation and its implementation in Belgium. By proving that automated workflows can provide rapid and repeatable production of information, we will open up this technology for other conservation assessments.
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Kyyrö J, Sahlström L, Lyytikäinen T. Assessment of the risk of African swine fever introduction into Finland using NORA-a rapid tool for semiquantitative assessment of the risk. Transbound Emerg Dis 2017; 64:2113-2125. [DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Kyyrö
- Risk Assessment Research Unit; Research and Laboratory Department; Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira; Helsinki Finland
| | - L. Sahlström
- Risk Assessment Research Unit; Research and Laboratory Department; Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira; Helsinki Finland
| | - T. Lyytikäinen
- Risk Assessment Research Unit; Research and Laboratory Department; Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira; Helsinki Finland
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