Theme 6 “Surveillance and Epidemiology”
Theme Leader: Dr Claes Enøe, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark.
Deputy Theme leader: Dr Laura Powell, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, United Kingdom.
EPIZONE aims to make epidemiological and surveillance data of epizootic diseases available for partner institutes, to improve understanding of the epidemiology of these diseases so that better surveillance and control strategies can be developed.
Work Package 6.1: Surveillance & Epidemiology of emerging viral diseases in aquaculture
Work Package 6.2: Field Epidemiology & Surveillance of AI and APMV
Work Package 6.3: Experimental Epidemiology
Work Package 6.4: Molecular Epidemiology
Internal Call 6.5: WILDSURV harmonisation
Internal Call 6.6: BTV epidemiology
What is going on in the EPIZONE network in the field of Surveillance and Epidemiology
· Progress has been made on the surveillance and epidemiology of emerging viral diseases in aquaculture. Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) and infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) isolates were collated and sequenced, and a virus database, including VHSV and IHNV, has been established. The development and validation of serological techniques for the detection of antibodies against VHSV and IHNV in fish were also advanced. Data on the epidemiology, molecular diagnostic methods and clinical pathology of Koi herpes virus (KHV), a rapid emerging disease, were collated and information presented at international conferences. (WP 6.1)
· Avian influenza (AI) sequencing protocols of partner institutes are collated and distributed among partners of the Work Package for comparison. Sequencing data generated from the involved partners are to be integrated into the database GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data). GISAID will be served and used by the international community beyond the EPIZONE network, including stakeholders from related fields. The availability of the sequencing data will provide insight into the ecology and epidemiology of AI. (WP 6.2)
· Transmission parameters of FMDV and SVDV are quantified under experimental conditions. These are needed to quantify the population dynamics of the viruses and the effectiveness of intervention strategies. Improved design of transmission experiments is achieved through collaboration between partners and the distribution and sharing of conducted experiments. Also through interdisciplinary close collaboration between virologists and modellers. This increases the understanding how data are generated through the experiments and are used in transmission models.
· Molecular epidemiology is studying genetic relationships between pathogens, including foot-and-mouth disease, swine vesicular disease, swine fevers, rinderpest, peste des petits ruminants, bluetongue, Rift Valley fever and also bacterial and mycoplasmal diseases such as e.g. contagious bovine pleuropneumonia. To develop expertise, technology and standard procedures for molecular epidemiology of epizootic diseases, web-based molecular epidemiology servers, hosting interactive banks of sequences are being developed. (WP 6.4)
Publications
WP 6.2
Strarick et al, 2008. Phylogenetic analyses of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus isolates from Germany in 2006 and 2007 suggest at least three separate introductions of H5N1 virus. Vet. Microbiology, 128, 243-252.
WP 6.3
P.L. Eble, A.A. de Koeijer, M.C.M. de Jong, B. Engel, A. Dekker. “ A meta-analysis quantifying transmission parameters of FMDV strain O Taiwan among non-vaccinated and vaccinated pigs. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 83 (2008) 98–106. (WP 6.3)
WP 6.4
Michaud, V., Gil, P., Kwiatek, O., Prome, S., Dixon, L., Romero, L., Le Potier, M. F., Arias, M., Couacy-Hymann, E., Roger, F., Libeau, G. & Albina, E. (2007). Long-term storage at tropical temperature of dried-blood filter papers for detection and genotyping of RNA and DNA viruses by direct PCR. Journal of Virological Methods, 146, 257-265.
L.M. McElhinney, D.A. Marston, S. Stankov, C. Tu, C. Black, N. Johnson, Y. Jiang, N. Tordo, T. Müller, A.R. Fooks. Molecular Epidemiology of Lyssaviruses in Eurasia. DevBiol. Basel, Karger, 2008, vol131, pp125-131.
Klein J, Hussain M, Ahmad M, Afzal M, Alexandersen S. (2008).
Epidemiology of foot-and-mouth disease in Landhi Dairy Colony, Pakistan, the world largest Buffalo colony. Virol J. doi:10.1186/1743-422X-5-53.
Aboubakar Yaya, LucíaManso-Silvan, Alain Blanchard, François Thiaucourt (2008).
Genotyping of Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides SC by multilocus sequence analysis allows molecular epidemiology of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia.
Vet. Res. doi: 10.1051/vetres:2007052.