Search

The World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) is an online reporting system, essential for ensuring the transparency and accuracy of global animal health. One of the WOAH’s objectives is to disseminate timely notifications to support countries’ efforts to prevent and control the spread of animal diseases. This paper describes the 3,263 exceptional events notified through immediate notifications sent to WOAH from 2005 to February 2021 and their distribution in time and space and by disease. To evaluate the timeliness of reporting, we defined and analysed two periods: the confirmation period (CT), which is the time interval between the disease onset date and the confirmation date, and the notification period (NT), defined as the interval between the disease confirmation and the date of reporting to WOAH. The results showed that (1) the number of events increased over the analysis period; (2) the events were mainly reported for domestic animals and the data provided for wildlife were limited; (3) the official source of disease introduction was often unknown when the event was reported; and (4) the global median CT value was 5 days while the global median NT value was 4 days, with a decreasing trend in both cases over the study period. Divergences were found across world regions and country income categories. This analysis provides interesting insights into the early detection capabilities and transparency of countries, globally and over time.

Background: Streptococcus suis, an early colonizer of the upper respiratory tract, can cause the S. suis-associated disease, a major infection characterized by meningitis, polyarthritis, and acute death, in piglets mainly around weaning age. However, little is known about the factors responsible for triggering the disease. Therefore, a longitudinal study was carried out, in which a total of six batches from two Spanish swine farms with S. suis problems were repeatedly examined, once in the farrowing unit and twice in the weaning unit. Results: Potential risk factors evaluated included: a) concomitant pathogens such as porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), porcine circovirus type 2, swine influenza virus, and Glaesserella parasuis; b) biomarkers associated to stress (cortisol), inflammation (haptoglobin), and oxidative status (hydrogen peroxide); c) farm environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity, CO2, and temperature-humidity index; and d) parity and S. suis presence in sows. Three models were built to study the effect of these variables, including two to assess the risk factors involved in the subsequent development of the disease. Presence of S. suis problems during the study was confirmed by its isolation in lesions in both farms. Risk factors for S. suis disease included PRRSV coinfection at weaning (Odds ratio (OR) = 6.69), sow parity (OR = 0.71), haptoglobin before weaning (OR = 1.01), and relative humidity in the farrowing unit as well as temperature at weaning (OR = 1.11 and 0.13, respectively). Conclusions: This study confirms the multifactorial nature of S. suis-associated disease, for which both environmental factors and factors related to the host seem to be involved in the development of the disease.

African swine fever (ASF) and classical swine fever (CSF) are two major transboundary animal diseases of swine with important socioeconomic consequences at farm, subnational and national level. The objective of this study was to evaluate the direct cost of outbreaks and their control at country/regional level in four countries: namely CSF in Colombia in 2015-2016, the retrospective cost of ASF in the Philippines in 2019 and in a province of Vietnam in 2020 and a hypothetical ASF scenario in one region in North Macedonia, using the newly developed Outbreak Costing Tool (OutCosT). The tool calculates the costs of 106 different items, broken down by up to four types of farms, and by who assumes the cost (whether veterinary services, farmers or other stakeholders). The total cost of CSF in Colombia was US$ 3.8 million, of which 88% represented the cost of the vaccination campaign. For ASF, there were wide differences between countries: US$ 8,26,911 in Lao Cai (Vietnam), US$ 33,19,666 in North Macedonia and over US$ 58 million in the Philippines. While in the Philippines and Vietnam, 96-98% of the cost occurred in the affected farms, the highest expenditure in North Macedonia scenario was the movement control of the neighbouring and at-risk farms (77%). These important differences between countries depend on the spread of the disease, but also on the production systems affected and the measures applied. Apart from the financial cost, these diseases have other negative impacts, especially in the livelihoods of smallholder farms. The OutCosT tool also allows users to evaluate qualitatively other important aspects related to the epidemics, such as the impact on human health, the environment, animal welfare, socioeconomic vulnerability, trading and political response. OutCosT, which is a FAO corporate tool (available online at: https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/faoweb/animal-health/OutCosT_PIG.xlsx), can be an important tool to support country authorities to rapidly respond to a swine disease outbreak by estimating the associated costs and for advocacy purposes to mobilize resources at national or international levels.

This study assessed potential risk factors associated with introduction of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) into dairy cattle herds in the Galicia region, northwestern Spain. The study was carried out with data collected from 93 dairies enrolled in a voluntary MAP control program. Information on potential risk factors was obtained through personal interviews with the farmers and veterinarians in charge of the control program of each farm. In addition, blood samples were taken annually over 2 years from cows on the farms in the program, and analyzed with a commercial ELISA to detect antibodies to MAP. Fecal samples of all ELISA-positive cows were analyzed using PCR. Based on χ2 test and Fisher's exact test, purchase practices, shared manure truck, shared materials, and visitors per month who contacted animals were found to be significantly associated with farm MAP infection status. Multiple logistic regression indicated that purchase practices and herd size (included as a potential confounder) are the variables that best predict MAP status.

A quantitative risk assessment model was developed to estimate the annual probability of introducing bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) at the farm level through animal movements. Data from 2017 official animal movements, biosecurity questionnaires, scientific literature, and expert opinion from field veterinarians were taken into consideration for model input parameters. Purchasing or introducing cattle, rearing replacement heifers offsite, showing cattle at competitions, sharing transport vehicles with other herds, and transporting cattle in vehicles that have not been cleaned and disinfected were considered in the model. The annual probability of introducing BVDV or BoHV-1 through infected animals was very heterogeneous between farms. The median likelihoods of BVDV and BoHV-1introduction were 12 and 9%, respectively. Farms that purchased cattle from within their region (i.e., local movements) and shared transport with other farms had a higher probability for BVDV and BoHV-1 introduction. This model can be a useful tool to support decision-making on biosecurity measures that should be prioritized to reduce the probability of introduction of these 2 diseases in dairy herds This work was supported by a Grant from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of Spain (AGL2016-77269-C2-1-R and AGL2016-77269-C2-2-R). The Universidad de Nariño (Pasto, Colombia) provided funding to the first author (BBB) SI

Infection with the Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV) causes a disease in pigs that ranges from a hyperacute form in which animals die in a few hours to subclinical disease. Due to this wide range of virulence, several complementary surveillance strategies should be implemented for the early detection of the disease. The objective of the present study was to determine the sensitivity of the surveillance system to detect CSFV outbreaks in a free zone (Zone 1) and in a zone undergoing an eradication process (Zone 2) in Colombia. Stochastic scenario tree models were used to describe the population and surveillance structures and to determine the probability of CSFV detection. The total sensitivity of the surveillance system in the case of a single infected farm in Zone 1 was 31.4% (CI 95%: 7.2 ‐54.1) and in the case of 5 infected farms was 85.2% (CI 95%: 67.3 ‐93.7), while in Zone 2 the sensitivities were 27.8% (CI 95%: 6.4‐ 55.1) and 82.5% (CI 95%: 65 ‐ 92.9) respectively. The on‐farm passive surveillance shows the highest sensitivity for detection of a single CSFV infected farm in both zones (22.8% in Zone 1 and 22.5% in Zone 2). The probability of detection was higher in a family / backyard premise than on a commercial farm in both zones. The passive surveillance at slaughterhouse had a sensitivity of 5.3% and 4.5% for the detection of a single infected farm in Zone 1 and 2 respectively. Active surveillance presented a range of sensitivity between 2.2 and 4.5%. In conclusion, the sensitivity of the surveillance in the two studied zones was quite high, one of reasons for this good sensitivity being the sentinel network based on the voluntary participation of 5,500 collaborators that were trained for the identification and notification of diseases of national interest. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

El desenvolupament competencial de les àrees científiques ha trobat en l'Aprenentatge Basat en Projectes un espai didàctic candidat. El treball coordinat des de les diverses disciplines (Ciències, Tecnologia, Enginyeria i Matemàtiques) permet aprendre tot instrumentalitzantels aprenentatges cap a un objectiu amb un sentit en el món real. El desplegament de la proposta ABP és una oportunitat, però és complex i s'enfronta a concepcions errònies sobre la metodologia i dificultats pràctiques en l'aplicació. Hem organitzat unes jornades per ajudar el professorat de secundària en el desenvolupament de propostes ABP d'àmbit STEM, #stemabp. En aquest article presentem el recull de materials que n'han resultat i proposem alguns eixos metodològics a considerar en l'ABP-STEM., The development of the scientific competence has in Project-Based Learning a candidate didactic space. The coordinated work form several disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) allow to learn by doing in purposeful, meaningful projects. Thedeploy of PBL is an opportunity, and confronts misconceptions about the methodology and practical difficulties in its application. To help secondary education teachers to develop PBL activities in STEM areas, we have organized and carried a teacher-training event, #stemabp. In this article, we present a collection of the resulting materials and propose some methodologic axes to be taken into account when developping PBL-STEM Science Education.

The importance of biosecurity as a strategy to prevent and control infectious diseases has increased substantially over the last few decades. Several studies have reported a low implementation level of biosecurity measures (BSM), particularly in cattle farms. In addition, a recent study demonstrated that cattle farmers are well aware of the recommended BSM and recognize them as more effective (in terms of time and costs) than treatment for disease. Therefore, other factors must be considered when it comes to understanding the decision-making process followed by a farmer regarding the adoption of BSM. This study analysed the possible influence of five mental constructs described in the health belief model (HBM) on the adoption of BSM and assessed the possible association of these constructs with different demographic and socio-psychological factors. Through an online survey, 988 questionnaires were completed by cattle farmers originating from Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands. The study revealed that the actual implementation of the BSM seems to be significantly influenced by the farmers’ perception of the measures’ benefits and the perception of health responsibility. Both constructs are influenced by the farmers’ personality in terms of risk aversion and biosecurity knowledge. It was also found that organic farmers had a significantly lower perception of the BSM benefits and of their responsibility towards animal, public and environmental health when compared with other types of farmer. Organic farmers in this study seemed less likely to implement biosecurity measures. To increase the adoption of BSM by cattle farmers, it is therefore important to emphasise the actual evidence-based benefits of the measures and to investigate further how to strengthen cattle farmers’ sense of responsibility towards animal, public and environmental health., This study was supported by the Belgian Federal Public Service of Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, as part of the BOBIOSEC research project RT15/4 implemented by Liège and Ghent Universities.

Simple Summary Paratuberculosis remains one of the most important diseases of cattle worldwide. Control of disease is difficult and offers important challenges at both diagnostic and management levels. This paper describes a study aimed at quantification of expert opinion on risk factors for paratuberculosis infection in dairy herds in Spain. For this purpose, a panel of nine experts working in the field of paratuberculosis was selected. Risk factors were also included into a questionnaire that was responded to by 93 farms whose sanitary status was known. The most important risk factors for the introduction of MAP, according to expert opinions, were related to purchase and grazing practices. The scores obtained for each farm, based on the expert opinions, allowed MAP positive/MAP negative farms to be discriminated with 68.8% sensitivity and 68.7% specificity. Despite increased awareness of the disease and the fact that several countries are implementing control programs, there is still incomplete understanding of the epidemiology of the disease. This, together with the lack of completely reliable diagnostic methods, makes it of vital importance considering the inter-herd transmission factors in order to prevent the introduction of the disease. Prioritizing the most important factors should be useful for focusing future training initiatives and improving risk-reduction strategies in this economically important industry. Abstract This study aimed at quantifying expert opinions on the risk factors involved in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection in dairy cattle herds. For this purpose, potential risk factors associated with the introduction of MAP into dairies were chosen based on a literature review and discussions with researchers and veterinarians. For each factor, a decision tree was developed, and key questions were included in each. Answers to these key questions led to different events within each decision tree. An expert opinion workshop was organized (following the recommendations of the OIE), and ordinal values ranging from 0 to 9 (i.e., a null to very high likelihood of infection) were assigned to each event. The potential risk factors were also incorporated into a structured questionnaire that was responded to by 93 farms where the sanitary status against MAP was known. Thereby, based on the values given by the experts and the information collected in the questionnaires, each farm was assigned a score based on their MAP entry risk. From these scores (contrast variable) and using a ROC curve, the cut-off that best discriminated MAP-positive and -negative farms was estimated. The most important risk factors for the introduction of MAP, according to expert opinions, involved purchase and grazing practices related to animals under six months of age. The scores obtained for each farm, also based on the expert opinions, allowed MAP positive/MAP negative farms to be discriminated with 68.8% sensitivity and 68.7% specificity. These data should be useful for focusing future training initiatives and improving risk-reduction strategies in the dairy industry.

Design, sampling and data interpretation constitute an important challenge for wildlife surveillance of avian influenza viruses (AIV). The aim of this study was to construct a model to improve and enhance identification in both different periods and locations of avian species likely at high risk of contact with AIV in a specific wetland. This study presents an individualbased stochastic model for the Ebre Delta as an example of this appliance. Based on the Monte-Carlo method, the model simulates the dynamics of the spread of AIV among wild birds in a natural park following introduction of an infected bird. Data on wild bird species population, apparent AIV prevalence recorded in wild birds during the period of study, and ecological information on factors such as behaviour, contact rates or patterns of movements of waterfowl were incorporated as inputs of the model. From these inputs, the model predicted those species that would introduce most of AIV in different periods and those species and areas that would be at high risk as a consequence of the spread of these AIV incursions. This method can serve as a complementary tool to previous studies to optimize the allocation of the limited AI surveillance resources in a local complex ecosystem. However, this study indicates that in order to predict the evolution of the spread of AIV at the local scale, there is a need for further research on the identification of host factors involved in the interspecies transmission of AIV

Introduction: This study aims to assess the most likely causes of Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) breakdowns in Spanish cattle herds and to identify the main risk factors at farm‐level. Methods: Causes of bTB breakdowns were assessed through a qualitative risk‐assessment based on decision‐trees by analysing surveillance data from 3819 bTB breakdowns detected during 2014–2016. Results were compared to veterinary officers’ (VO) opinions. Risk factors were identified through a case‐control study with data from 196 bTB cases and 160 controls collected during 2014–2018. Results: The decision tree analysis identified residual infections and interactions with wildlife as the most frequent causes of breakdowns (36% each), followed by purchasing infected cattle (14%). These results were not supported by VOs’ opinions. According to the regression models, the risk of bTB increased by sharing pastures (odds ratios [OR] = 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.6–4.4) and by increasing inwards cattle movements. The presence of wildlife reservoirs represented a significant risk for extensively‐managed farms if other cattle farms are situated within a one‐kilometre radius (OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.1–5.1). Discussion: To prevent bTB breakdowns, efforts should be devoted to decrease the likelihood of residual infections and improve farm biosecurity. The adoption of biosecurity measures might be influenced by farmers’ perceptions, which should be carefully evaluated to ensure the effectiveness of such strategies. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

Classical swine fever (CSF) is an infectious viral disease caused by an RNA virus belonging to the Pestivirus genus. A total of 134 outbreaks of CSF have occurred in the last seven years in the North of Colombia. The objective of this study was the characterization of the herds affected by CSF from 2013 to 2018. Most of the outbreaks (95%) occured in backyard piggeries. The principal causes of transmission of CSF were the introduction of infected pigs (38%), movements of people (37%) and unknown origin (13%). The epidemiological relationships with 15 affected farms explained 31 outbreaks. The overall attack and mortality rates were 39% and 32%, respectively. The main clinical signs were high fever (67%), incoordination of movements (54%), and prostration (52%). Seventy-three percent of the herds had not been vaccinated against CSF and 17% had been only partially vaccinated. A spatio-temporal analysis, using a Poisson regression model, revealed two clusters with high risk; the first and largest one from 2014 to 2016 had a relative risk (RR) of 13.4 and included part of the departments of Atlántico, Bolívar, Cesar, La Guajira, Norte de Santander, Magdalena and Sucre; and the second cluster (RR = 9.6 in 2016) included municipalities in the north of the department of Cordoba. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

This study was carried out in two regions in Spain (Catalonia and Galicia) through eight focus groups; four for dairy farmers and four for veterinarians. The results showed that dairy farmers and veterinarians attributed responsibility to one another for not following biosecurity practices. The study brings to light contradictions among veterinarians and certain individual veterinary practices that participated in the study, which lead to doubt and confusion on the part of dairy farmers. Distinct perceptions were also identified of the role that government authorities should play in relation both to training and sanctions as a means of improving biosecurity on dairy farms. Additionally, the participants expressed varying opinions as to whether biosecurity measures ought to be made mandatory or remain voluntary. Results from this study highlight the need to promote initiatives through which distinct stakeholders such as veterinarians, government authorities, and dairy farmers can develop consensus-based messages on the implementation of biosecurity practices. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

Biosecurity measures are a set of management procedures that prevent the risk of introducing and spreading infectious diseases to a farm, although these measures are rarely implemented in dairy farms. There are some studies that have identified that the decision to implement biosecurity measures can be influenced by several psychosocial factors (attitudes and behaviours). Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the psychosocial factors (and their interactions) influencing the implementation of biosecurity measures in dairy farms in Spain, through the views of dairy farmers and veterinarians from Catalonia (northeast Spain) and Galicia (northwest Spain). Face‐to‐face in‐depth interviews were performed with 16 dairy farmers (nine from Catalonia and seven from Galicia) and 16 veterinarians (eight from Catalonia and eight from Galicia). Grounded theory analysis was performed on the transcripts, following the subtopics of: information sources, individual factors of the farmer, social dynamics, official veterinary services and other factors. The study identified the importance of veterinarians as a source of information, including their communication skills, the individual experiences of farmers, traditions of the farms and availability of time and space in the dairy farmer's decisions making. Further, it suggests the need to deepen the knowledge of the farm workers and the obligatory biosecurity measures. This research represents a starting point to develop future strategies to improve the implementation of biosecurity measures in dairy farms This research was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) of Spain (AGL2016‐77269‐C2‐1‐R) and by European Regional Development Funds (ERDF). PhD studies of Moya, S., were funded by a grant from the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT) of Chile and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona of Spain (B18P0040) SI

The implementation of biosecurity measures in the animal health and production context is quite broad and aims at limiting the risk of introduction and spread of diseases. Veterinarians play a major role in biosecurity as key informants on the subject for cattle holders, key players in terms of disease prevention/control and eradication programs, as well as key risk factor in terms of disease dissemination. Many biosecurity studies have highlighted professional visitors such as veterinary practitioners as representing a high-risk factor in terms of disease introduction in animal facilities but, to date, very few studies have focused on the implementation level of biosecurity measures by veterinarians. An online survey was implemented in three European countries (Belgium, France and Spain) to assess the behaviour of rural veterinarians towards biosecurity, as well as their implementation level of the biosecurity measures. A descriptive analysis of data and a scoring system were applied to assess the implementation level of measures. The influence of different factors on the implementation level of biosecurity measures was investigated through a negative binomial regression model. The study identified different strengths, weaknesses, possible constraints and solutions in terms of veterinary perspectives. Veterinarians are considered as key informants by the farmers and could therefore play a more active role in terms of guidance and improvement of biosecurity at farm level. Based on the survey outcomes, two factors seemed to influence significantly the implementation level of measures: the country where he/she practices and the veterinarian's perception level of biosecurity. The biosecurity stages with the lowest application level, therefore representing the biggest threats, were bio-exclusion (increasing the risk of disease introduction) and biocontainment (increasing the risk of inter-herd transmission). info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

Los Proyectos de Investigacion son una aproximacion didactica que recoge elementos del Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos y la Ensenanza de las Ciencias Basada en la Indagacion. Se describe el diseno y aplicacion de un “Proyecto de Investigacion” con alumnado de 1o de ESO del Instituto de Educacion Secundaria Marta Estrada (Granollers) sobre los Ciclos Biogeoquimicos, la Hidrosfera y la Atmosfera. En este el alumnado organiza y participa como investigador en un Congreso Cientifico Escolar sobre Contaminacion. A partir de los resultados obtenidos en la aplicacion, se identifican elementos de importancia en el diseno de Proyectos de Investigacion, relativos a la autonomia del alumnado, el papel del contexto y el desarrollo de las dimensiones conceptual, procedimental y epistemica de la Competencia Cientifica.

In this retrospective study, we describe the relative occurrence of clinical myxomatosis, and rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD), on 1714 commercial farms visited in Spain, between 1988 and 2018. We determined the annual prevalence based on 817 visits to 394 farms affected by myxomatosis. Myxomatosis was more prevalent from August to March, being lowest in June (3%) and highest in September (8.9%). With regard to RHD, we assessed 253 visits to 156 affected farms. We analyzed mean annual and monthly incidence. Two important RHD epidemics occurred, the first in 1988&ndash, 1989 due to RHDV GI.1 (also known as RHDV), and the second from 2011 to 2013 due to RHDV GI.2 (RHDV2 or RHDVb). These epidemics occurred at times when effective vaccination had not been carried out. Relative monthly incidence in 2011&ndash, 2018 was higher from April to August (p &lt, 0.001). The results we obtained from 1404 necropsies on 102 farms did not clearly relate serosanguinous nasal discharge in rabbits with disease caused by GI.2 infection. We also assessed vaccination schedules used on 200 doe farms visited from the end of 2014 to 2018, 95.5% vaccinated against myxomatosis and 97.5% against RHD. Both diseases remain prevalent, however, effective vaccination has produced a steady decline in myxomatosis and RHDV GI.1 and GI.2 on-farm detection. The maintenance of high hygienic standards will be needed to continue and improve this control. However, further studies are required to investigate the causes of sustained virus presence and vaccine breaks.

Attention to biosecurity has been highlighted as the most important measure to reduce and prevent the introduction of diseases to farms. There is little published information about the biosecurity of dairy cattle in Spain. We therefore aimed to assess and characterize the current application of biosecurity measures on dairy cattle farms in Spain, and relate these to bovine viral diarrhea and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis. From July 2017 to April 2018, data on biosecurity measures for 124 dairy herds were collected using a questionnaire. We also assessed the sanitary status of these farms (efficacy of measures implemented against both diseases using antibody ELISA. Data were analyzed descriptively, and using multiple correspondence analysis and a two-step cluster analysis. Measures to prevent disease introduction were often poorly implemented. Three main clusters of farms were identified: Clusters 1 and 2 included herds of small and intermediate sizes, respectively. These, particularly cluster 1, showed the most deficiencies in the control of vehicles and visitors. However, individual purchases usually involved low numbers of animals, especially in cluster 2, and animals were tested for bovine viral diarrhea and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis at their places of origin or on arrival at farms. Farms in clusters 1 and 2 were frequently under voluntary control programs. Cluster 3 had the largest herd sizes, with somewhat better biosecurity control of vehicles and visitors. However, farms in this cluster also purchased the most animals, sometimes without testing, and hired external workers most often. Farms in cluster 1 showed the best sanitary level, followed by clusters 2 and 3. Collecting data such as these is an important first step to identification of biosecurity shortcomings, and to structuring of adequate follow-up to ensure that measures are implemented correctly on farms in Spain.

Zaida Liliana Cárdenas Contreras holds a Ph.D. grant from the Ministry of Education in Colombia (COLCIENCIAS 617/2013 scholarship). Bovine brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that causes substantial economic losses and has a strong impact on public health. The main objective of this paper is to determine the risk factors for new infections of Brucella abortus on Colombian cattle farms previously certified as being free of brucellosis. A case-control study was conducted by comparing 98 cases (farms certified as brucellosis-free for three or more years but became infected) with 93 controls (farms that remained brucellosis-free during at least the previous three years). The farms were matched by herd size and geographical location (municipality). Information was obtained via a questionnaire completed by veterinary officers through a personal interview with the herd owners. Two-thirds of the herds (67%) were dairy herds, 16% were beef herds, and 17% were dual-purpose (beef and milk) herds. After exploratory univariate analysis, all explanatory variables with a p -value of ≤0.20 were included in a logistic regression model using the forward stepwise method to select the model with the best goodness of fit. The significant risk factors were the replacement of animals from farms not certified as brucellosis-free compared to replacement from certified brucellosis-free farms (OR = 4.84, p -value < 0.001) and beef cattle farms compared to dairy cattle farms (OR = 3.61, p -value = 0.017). When herds with and without artificial insemination were compared, it was observed that farms that used natural breeding with bulls from non-certified herds had a higher risk than farms using artificial insemination (OR = 2.45, p -value = 0.037), but when the bulls came from brucellosis-free farms, farms with natural breeding were less affected (OR = 0.30, p-value = 0.004) than farms using artificial insemination, whether with frozen semen from certified brucellosis-free herds or fresh semen from uncontrolled herds. The latter is commonly sold to neighbouring farms. The government should make efforts to inform farmers about the risks involved in the introduction of semen and replacement heifers from farms that are not certified as brucellosis-free and to establish measures to control these practices. The online version of this article (10.1186/s12917-019-1825-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

This paper describes the global distribution and temporal evolution of bovine brucellosis due to Brucella abortus during a 19‐year period (1996–2014) using the information officially reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) by veterinary services of 156 countries. Variables that can influence the health status of bovine brucellosis (i.e., year, per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP), continent and bovine population) were also analysed. Countries were classified into three categories of health situations: ENZOOTIC: countries infected, which may have been free of brucellosis but for periods of fewer than 3 years; NON‐ENZOOTIC: countries where the disease was present but that had at least a 3‐year period without the disease; and FREE: countries where the disease remained absent during the whole period. The countries free from bovine brucellosis, or in the process of eradication, were located in Oceania and Europe, while the more affected regions were Central and South America, Africa and parts of Asia. Among the Non‐Enzootic countries, the results showed that a very high proportion managed to control the disease during the period of study, with a sharp decline in the percentage of infected countries from 71% in 1996 to 10% in 2014. Among the Enzootic countries, a much smaller proportion managed to control the disease, with a slight drop in the percentage of infected countries from 92% in 1996 to 80% in 2014. A relationship was found between the status of the disease and the availability of economic resources; thus, countries with a high GDP per capita tended to be free from bovine brucellosis. On the other hand, countries with a larger bovine population showed a greater probability to have the disease present. An increase in surveillance programmes and implementation of control policies were observed during the period of study. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

"Reflexiones incluidas en este texto se enmarcan en la línea de innovación educativa promovida por el programa STEAMCat del Departament d'Educació de la Generalitat de Catalunya y la investigación metodológica del grupo de investigación consolidado LICEC (referencia 2014SGR1492) por AGAUR" El término STEM es polisémico y tiene actualmente una gran presencia en ámbitos de innovación en enseñanza de las ciencias. Sintetiza un conjunto de objetivos políticos en relación al desarrollo de vocaciones científico-tecnológicas, inclusión y ciudadanía. En este artículo se identifican vías de acción metodológica para desplegar los objetivos STEM desde la didáctica de las ciencias (Indagación, Controversias, Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos, Pseudociencias,…). Se proponen ejemplos de actividades aplicadas en las aulas y se analizan las aportaciones de cada vía de acción y potenciales dificultades. Como conclusión, se discute el encaje entre los objetivos políticos STEM y la misión social de la educación como vía para una ciudadanía competente. "STEM" is a polysemic word very present in innovative frames on Science Education. It shapes several political goals related to increasing scientific and technologic careers, inclusion and citizenship. In this article we identify several methodologic lines from Science didactics to develop STEM goals (I nquiry, Socio-Scientific Issues, Project-Based Learning, Pseudoscience,…). We describe examples of classroom activities and analyse its contributions and potential difficulties. As a conclusion, we discuss the matching of the STEM political goals with the social purpose of education as a way for competent citizenship.

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelon grant number D045702/B14P0024 per a Giovanna Ciaravino In Spain, the eradication of tuberculosis (TB) in cattle has had some setbacks and therefore we need to re-evaluate the current surveillance strategies. The Spanish cattle TB surveillance system consists of three components: a) routine skin testing, b) slaughterhouse surveillance, and c) pre-movement controls. Our objectives were to assess the effectiveness of the whole surveillance system and evaluate the relative contribution of each of those components, both at national and at the province level. The effectiveness was estimated based on both the sensitivity of detection per year and the time until detection. Moreover, we evaluated the impact of different factors on that effectiveness. We used a stochastic model that simulated the spread of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-complex (MTC) infection within cattle herds that was modified to incorporate the three components of TB surveillance. Input data, at the province level, on cattle movements off-farm or the frequency of the routine screening were provided by the Spanish Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Under the current conditions, 96.1% of Spanish herds were detected within one year after their infection (i.e. mean sensitivity of TB surveillance), although that detection took on average 178 days. The surveillance system effectiveness was highly dependent on the routine skin testing, responsible for the detection of almost 90% of the infected herds, while slaughterhouse surveillance and pre-movement controls contributed only to the identification of a small proportion of infected herds. We observed substantial differences in the effectiveness of the surveillance components among Spanish provinces, although in general, the sensitivities were high. The most influential factor on the efficiency of TB detection in Spain was, by far, the frequency of routine controls, followed by the sensitivity of the test used. In a context of reduced funding for cattle TB eradication, the frequency of testing should be adapted based on risk-based surveillance strategies, i.e. efforts should focus on herds more likely to be infected, but also in herds more likely to infect other herds. While slaughterhouse surveillance seems a cost-effective strategy, the use of pre-movement testing at least in areas of low incidence should be further evaluated.

A simple method to estimate the size of the vaccine bank needed to control an epidemic of an exotic infectious disease in case of introduction into a country is presented. The method was applied to the case of a Lumpy Skin disease (LSD) epidemic in France. The size of the stock of vaccines needed was calculated based on a series of simple equations that use some trigonometric functions and take into account the spread of the disease, the time required to obtain good vaccination coverage and the cattle density in the affected region. Assuming a 7-weeks period to vaccinate all the animals and a spread of the disease of 7.3 km/week, the vaccination of 740 716 cattle would be enough to control an epidemic of LSD in France in 90% of the simulations (608 196 cattle would cover 75% of the simulations). The results of this simple method were then validated using a dynamic simulation model, which served as reference for the calculation of the vaccine stock required. The differences between both models in different scenarios, related with the time needed to vaccinate the animals, ranged from 7% to 10.5% more vaccines using the simple method to cover 90% of the simulations, and from 9.0% to 13.8% for 75% of the simulations. The model is easy to use and may be adapted for the control of different diseases in different countries, just by using some simple formulas and few input data. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Data from affected lumpy skin disease (LSD) locations between July 2012 and September 2018 in the Balkans, Caucasus, and Middle East were retrieved from FAO's Global Animal Disease Information System (EMPRES-i) from the European Commission's Animal Disease Notification System (ADNS) and completed with data from the official veterinary services of some countries. During this period, a total of 7,593 locations from 22 countries were affected. Within this period, over 46,000 cattle were clinically affected by LSD, 3,700 animals died and 17,500 were slaughtered due to culling policies to stop the spread of the disease. Most outbreaks occurred in 2016, between the months of May and November. The affected region was divided into a grid of 10 × 10 km cells and we fit a spatial regression model to analyse the association between the reported LSD outbreaks and climatic variables, land cover, and cattle density. The results showed big differences in the odds of being LSD positive due to the type of land cover: the odds of a cell being LSD positive was increased in areas mostly covered with croplands, grassland, or shrubland. The odds was also increased for higher cattle density, as well as areas with higher annual mean temperature and higher temperature diurnal range. The resulting model was utilized to predict the LSD risk in neighbouring unaffected areas in Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, identifying several areas with high risk of spread. Results from this study provide useful information for the design of surveillance and awareness systems, and preventive measures, e.g., vaccination programmes. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion

La adquisicion de habilidades y perspectivas cientificas es clave en la educacion cientifica de los futuros ciudadanos. A pesar de los esfuerzos que se realizan en este sentido, el alumnado conserva una vision estereotipada y rigida del metodo y el conocimiento cientifico. Se propone una actividad de indagacion sobre la mitosis y el cancer en la que el alumnado vive en primera persona el proceso investigador, de-construyendo el metodo cientifico. En la actividad, los alumnos parten de biopsias ficticias para iniciar una investigacion en la que publican articulos cientificos, redactan proyectos y realizan experimentos, en el marco de dinamicas de construccion del conocimiento cientifico. Los resultados de la aplicacion y sus efectos en las concepciones del alumnado se discuten junto con una encuesta realizada al alumnado.

The European mink (Mustela lutreola) has undergone a dramatic decline and is one of the most endangered mammals in the world. The invasive American mink (Neovison vison) is considered the main factor for this decline. However, the American mink's introduction and the subsequent ecological concurrence of the two species cannot solely explain the decline or disappearance of the European mink. Aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV) is the main health problem in fur farming worldwide, causing varied clinical syndromes that depend on the viral strain and host factors. Infection with AMDV has been speculated to contribute to the decline of the European mink, but a detailed study has not been performed. To assess the potential effects of AMDV infection on the conservation of the European mink, we surveyed AMDV antibody in samples from 492 native European mink and 1,735 feral American mink collected over 16 yr. The antibody prevalence in European mink was 32%. There were no statistically significant differences in antibody prevalence between sexes, among years, or among weight classes. For recaptured European mink, incidence of seroconversion (negative to positive) was 0.46 cases per animal-year at risk. For positive animals, the incidence of conversion from positive to negative was 0.18 cases per animal-year at risk. In 1,735 feral American minks, the overall prevalence was 32.4% and varied among the six wild populations studied. Infection with AMDV appears to be endemic, distributed across the entire ranges of both species, and no effects on the population dynamics of either species were observed.

La nutrició i la dieta són conceptes que es solen treballar de manera pràctica en les aules de ciències mitjançant l'elaboració de dietes ajustades a necessitats calòriques i nutritives. L'educació pel Desenvolupament i la Pau és un enfoc educatiu que té per objectiu la construcció d'una ciutadania crítica i compromesa amb la transformació social en claus de justícia, sostenibilitat i solidaritat i connexió amb les problemàtiques globals. Hemdesenvolupat una seqüència didàctica que, partint d'una proposta clàssica de treball d'elaboració d'una dieta sana, promou la connexió del node de l'alimentació amb diverses problemàtiques globals, com la justícia social i el canvi climàtic. Fem una descripció de la seqüència i els resultats d'aplicació i considerem les possibilitats de transformació d'activitats d'ensenyament de les ciències amb enfocs similars com a aportació a la Cultura del Desenvolupament i la Pau., Nutrition and diet are concepts usually taught un practical approaches as constructing proposals of diets set for a given caloric and nutritional needs. The Education for Peace and Development movement is an educational frame aiming the construction of a global citizenship with critical awareness and social engagement in reference to justice, sustainability, solidarity and connection with global challenges. On the basis of a classic didactic sequence for the construction of a wealthy diet, we have developed an activity that connects nutrition with several global problems, as social justice and climatic change. We describe the sequence and results of the application and consider the possibilities for the transformation of science didactic sequences with Education for Peace and Development frames.

International audience; Background The lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) is a dsDNA virus belonging to the Poxviridae family and the Capripoxvirus genus. Lumpy skin diseases (LSD) is a highly contagious transboundary disease in cattle producing major economic losses. In 2014, the disease was first reported in the European Union (in Cyprus); it was then reported in 2015 (in Greece) and has spread through different Balkan countries in 2016. Indirect vector transmission is predominant at small distances, but transmission between distant herds and between countries usually occurs through movements of infected cattle or through vectors found mainly in animal trucks. Methods and principal findings In order to estimate the threat for France due to the introduction of vectors found in animal trucks (cattle or horses) from at-risk countries (Balkans and neighbours), a quantitative import risk analysis (QIRA) model was developed according to the international standard. Using stochastic QIRA modelling and combining experimental/field data and expert opinion, the yearly risk of LSDV being introduced by stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans), that travel in trucks transporting animals was between 6 x 10−5 and 5.93 x 10−3 with a median value of 89.9 x 10−5 ; it was mainly due to the risk related to insects entering farms in France from vehicles transporting cattle from the at-risk area. The risk related to the transport of cattle going to slaughterhouses or the transport of horses was much lower (between 2 x 10−7 and 3.73 x 10−5 and between 5 x 10−10 and 3.95 x 10−8 for cattle and horses, respectively). The disinsectisation of trucks transporting live animals was important to reduce this risk. Conclusion and significance The development of a stochastic QIRA made it possible to quantify the risk of LSD being introduced in France through the import of vectors that travel in trucks transporting animals. This tool is of prime importance because the LSD situation in the Balkans is continuously changing. Indeed, this model can be updated to process new information on vectors and the changing health situation, in addition to new data from the TRAde Control and Expert System (TRACES, EU database). This model is easy to adapt to different countries and to other vectors and diseases.