NAHSS Activity Updates, July 2008
Spatial analysis IDs scrapie surveillance gaps
Veterinary Services’ Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health and the National Center for Animal Health Programs are collaborating on a project to identify geographic gaps in scrapie surveillance. Utilizing five years of Regulatory Scrapie Slaughter Surveillance data and two years of non-slaughter surveillance data, spatial analyses of the data are planned to identify geographic regions where sampling for scrapie surveillance has not occurred and to identify potential demographic factors associated with these unsampled areas. These analyses are intended to assist field personnel in identifying regions where surveillance may need to be increased. A pilot model using Iowa data has been completed, and the Scrapie Management Team plans to continue the effort in other States. The team has identified priority States and will determine whether this model can be used in other States' surveillance efforts.
The National Animal Health Reporting System (NAHRS) 2007 Annual Summary Report has been released. The report summarizes information reported to NAHRS by participating States on World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reportable diseases in the United States. The NAHRS continues to be one of the main sources of information utilized for completing the U.S. OIE routine reports. NAHRS also helps demonstrate the integrated, comprehensive, and transparent nature of disease surveillance and reporting in the United States with the goal of helping to protect the global market share of America’s animals and animal products. In 2007, 46 States participated in NAHRS.
CEI publishes a quarterly publication entitled "Summary of Selected Disease Events." This summary is a brief report that reviews selected international and domestic occurrences of OIE listed diseases, as well as other important animal disease events. The latest summary, which covers the period from January through March 2008, as well as previous summaries of Selected Disease Events, can be found on the CEI Web site at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ceah/cei/taf/allsummary.htm