National Animal Health Surveillance System Outlook
Issue 18, July 2008
The NAHSS Outlook is an electronic communication with information about the National Animal Health Surveillance System (NAHSS) that is distributed via email to all members of Veterinary Services. Contact the National Surveillance Unit to provide comments and suggestions for future topics.
Articles in This Issue:
- Pseudorabies (PRV) surveillance plan moves toward implementation
- Targeted surveillance methods developed
- Mobile devices assist 2007 New Mexico TB incident
- Building a comprehensive and integrated NAHSS: an update
Click here for updates on identifying scrapie surveillance gaps using spatial analysis, the NAHRS Annual Report, the Quarterly Disease Summary.
Pseudorabies (PRV) surveillance plan moves toward implementation
Early this year, the Veterinary Services Management Team approved a revised pseudorabies virus (PRV) surveillance plan for implementation. The revised plan is aimed at targeted sampling of high-risk herds and animals of interest. The plan is geared toward two main objectives: to rapidly detect PRV in commercial herds; and to demonstrate freedom from PRV in U.S. commercial herds. The plan also contains a minor objective, which is to monitor the risk of introduction of PRV into U.S. commercial swine via the feral swine reservoir. Read more about the PRV surveillance plan.
Targeted surveillance methods developed
Collaborators from the Veterinary Services (VS) Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH) and the University of Minnesota recently developed methodology to define the concept of targeted sampling, draw valid population inference from targeted sampling data, and evaluate the methodology's use in surveillance applications. The Minnesota-NSU team adapted sampling theory using Monte Carlo simulation methods to determine target population sample size to detect disease with 95 percent confidence. Here is more on targeted surveillance.
Mobile devices assist 2007 New Mexico TB incident
The Veterinary Services Office of the Chief Information Officer Mobile Information Management team supported the 2007 New Mexico tuberculosis (TB) incident by supplying the TB MIM application and working directly with the field and command staff to meet the evolving data needs throughout the incident. The TB MIM application is designed to increase the efficiency and accuracy of bovine tuberculosis testing using Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) that have been loaded with herd and premises information. The application is intended to assist field veterinarians and their supporting staff when they record and submit data from the field, such as test results and herd inventory. Read more about the mobile devices here.
Building a comprehensive and integrated NAHSS: an update
The National Animal Health Surveillance System (NAHSS) is a VS initiative created in response to recommendations made in the 2001 Animal Health Safeguarding Review and Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD) 9. The system is an interdisciplinary network of partners working together to protect animal health and promote free trade through surveillance, control, and prevention of foreign, emerging, and endemic diseases. Since 2007, one specific focus of the NAHSS has been advancing the concepts of building comprehensive and integrated surveillance systems that cross species and diseases, rather than focusing on individual diseases. Read more on comprehensive and integrated surveillance.
Mobile devices assist 2007 New Mexico TB incident
The Veterinary Services Office of the Chief Information Officer Mobile Information Management team supported the 2007 New Mexico tuberculosis (TB) incident by supplying the TB MIM application and working directly with the field and command staff to meet the evolving data needs throughout the incident. The TB MIM application is designed to increase the efficiency and accuracy of bovine tuberculosis testing using Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) that have been loaded with herd and premises information. The application is intended to assist field veterinarians and their supporting staff when they record and submit data from the field, such as test results and herd inventory. Read more about the mobile devices here.