161 results on '"Jordi Casal"'
Search Results
2. Respiratory disorders of farmed rabbits: occurrence and risk factors
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Joan M. Rosell, L. Fernando de la Fuente, J. Ignacio Badiola, Ana Pérez de Rozas, Daniel Fernández de Luco, M. Cruz Arnal, Jordi Casal, Xosé M. Fernández, and André Pinto de Carvalho
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rabbit ,respiratory diseases ,rhinitis prevalence ,animal welfare ,disease prevention ,Animal culture ,SF1-1100 ,Veterinary medicine ,SF600-1100 - Abstract
In this study, we focused on the occurrence of respiratory disorders in rabbit farms, as well as several risk factors. We based the assessment on 11 217 visits to 1288 commercial farms in Spain and Portugal from 1996 to 2020. There was a sub-set of 307 visits due to respiratory system issues on 172 farms; the main causes were high prevalence of rhinitis in does and high mortality risk in weaned rabbits. During the 25-yr observational study, we physically examined 29 000 males and 200 000 lactating does to monitor their sanitary status on 894 farms. The mean annual prevalence of clinical rhinitis (CR) and 95% binomial confidence interval (CI) in does was 19.9% (95% CI [19.7-20.1%]). We observed an improvement as prevalence of annual CR fell from 29.6% in 1996 to 15.2% in 2020. The main risk factor for rhinitis was the rabbit line, followed by gender (males become sick more than females) and age of females. The median age of farmed does was 5 parities (minimum to maximum: 1-39). The enabling risk factors were year, season (more often affected in summer) and service timing (lowest prevalence when does were served ≥32 d postpartum). In a sub-set of 208 farms, we determined the prevalence of apparent atrophic rhinitis, which was 0.04% in females and 0.11% in males. Concerning bacteriological studies with 444 samples from 153 farms, Pasteurella multocida and Staphylococcus aureus were the main agents isolated from cases of pneumonia, rhinitis and other issues. We may infer that much work is required to determine in greater detail the factors linked to the farm environment and apply this knowledge in practice.
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- 2023
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3. Examination of critical factors influencing ruminant disease dynamics in the Black Sea Basin
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Margarida Arede, Daniel Beltrán-Alcrudo, Jeyhun Aliyev, Tengiz Chaligava, Ipek Keskin, Tigran Markosyan, Dmitry Morozov, Sarah Oste, Andrii Pavlenko, Mihai Ponea, Nicolae Starciuc, Anna Zdravkova, Eran Raizman, Jordi Casal, and Alberto Allepuz
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Black Sea ,surveillance and control ,ruminants ,transboundary animal diseases ,zoonoses ,Veterinary medicine ,SF600-1100 - Abstract
IntroductionRuminant production in the Black Sea basin (BSB) is critical for national economies and the subsistence of rural populations. Yet, zoonoses and transboundary animal diseases (TADs) are limiting and threatening the sector. To gain a more comprehensive understanding, this study characterizes key aspects of the ruminant sector in nine countries of the BSB, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Türkiye, and Ukraine.MethodsWe selected six priority ruminant diseases (anthrax, brucellosis, Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), lumpy skin disease (LSD), and peste des petits ruminants (PPR)) that are present or threaten to emerge in the region. Standardized questionnaires were completed by a network of focal points and supplemented with external sources. We examined country and ruminant-specific data such as demographics, economic importance, and value chains in each country. For disease-specific data, we analysed the sanitary status, management strategies, and temporal trends of the selected diseases.Results and discussionThe shift from a centrally planned to a market economy, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, restructured the ruminant sector. This sector played a critical role in rural livelihoods within the BSB. Yet, it faced significant challenges such as the low sustainability of pastoralism, technological limitations, and unregistered farms. Additionally, ruminant health was hindered by informal animal trade as a result of economic factors, insufficient support for the development of formal trade, and socio-cultural drivers. In the Caucasus and Türkiye, where diseases were present, improvements to ruminant health were driven by access to trading opportunities. Conversely, European countries, mostly disease-free, prioritized preventing disease incursion to avoid a high economic burden. While international initiatives for disease management are underway in the BSB, there is still a need for more effective local resource allocation and international partnerships to strengthen veterinary health capacity, protect animal health and improve ruminant production.
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- 2023
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4. Government veterinarians' perceptions of routine biosecurity focused on dairy cattle farms in north-western and north-eastern Spain
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Sebastián Moya, José Navea, Jordi Casal, Giovanna Ciaravino, Eduardo Yus, Francisco Javier Diéguez, Bibiana Benavides, Francisco Tirado, and Alberto Allepuz
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biosecurity ,content analysis ,dairy cattle farm ,interview ,government veterinarian ,perception ,Veterinary medicine ,SF600-1100 - Abstract
The implementation of biosecurity measures in livestock production systems can be affected by the psychosocial factors of its stakeholders, which can be observed through their knowledge, attitudes and perceptions/practices. In Spain, there are no regulations per se to promote biosecurity. Of all stakeholders, farmers and veterinarians have been addressed in previous biosecurity studies, but not veterinarians belonging specifically to the government services. This study explores this particular group's perceptions of routine biosecurity in livestock production systems in north-western and north-eastern Spain, an understanding of which could help to improve the implementation of biosecurity measures on farms. Eleven interviews were conducted with veterinarians from different levels of the government services in Galicia and Catalonia, and were analyzed through content analysis. Dairy cattle farms were considered as the reference livestock production systems. The respondents stress the limited availability of staff and time resources for biosecurity. The advisory role of government veterinarians is not well recognized among farmers, who feel that their services prioritize their sanctioning role. In fact, government veterinarians consider that farmers only implement biosecurity measures to avoid being sanctioned, and not because they are aware of the importance of biosecurity. Meanwhile, the participants comment that biosecurity regulations should be flexible and need to consider the contexts of the farms where biosecurity measures are implemented. Finally, government veterinarians are willing to attend biosecurity meetings together with all farm stakeholders, at which the government services could be informed about biosecurity issues on farms. The person who could take on the biosecurity advisory role should be defined, along with further discussion of such matters as the responsibilities of each stakeholder. Government veterinary services need to be considered in studies of biosecurity operations in order to improve their implementation. It is therefore concluded that government veterinarians are seeking to balance their own institutional perspective with that of farmers and veterinarians in the routine implementation of biosecurity measures.
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- 2023
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5. Stochastic Assessment of the Economic Impact of Streptococcus suis-Associated Disease in German, Dutch and Spanish Swine Farms
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Carlos Neila-Ibáñez, Jordi Casal, Isabel Hennig-Pauka, Norbert Stockhofe-Zurwieden, Marcelo Gottschalk, Lourdes Migura-García, Lola Pailler-García, and Sebastián Napp
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Streptococcus suis ,antimicrobials ,questionnaires ,economic assessment ,swine production disease ,incidence ,Veterinary medicine ,SF600-1100 - Abstract
The economic assessment of animal diseases is essential for decision-making, including the allocation of resources for disease control. However, that assessment is usually hampered by the lack of reliable data on disease incidence, or treatment and control measures, and that is particularly true for swine production diseases, such as infections caused by Streptococcus suis. Therefore, we deployed a questionnaire survey of clinical swine veterinarians to obtain the input data needed for a stochastic model to calculate the costs caused by S. suis, which was implemented in three of the main swine producing countries in Europe: Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. S. suis-associated disease is endemic in those countries in all production phases, though nursery was the phase most severely impacted. In affected nursery units, between 3.3 and 4.0% of pigs had S. suis-associated disease and the mortalities ranged from 0.5 to 0.9%. In Germany, the average cost of S. suis per pig (summed across all production phases) was 1.30 euros (90% CI: 0.53–2.28), in the Netherlands 0.96 euros (90% CI: 0.27–1.54), and in Spain 0.60 euros (90% CI: 0.29–0.96). In Germany, that cost was essentially influenced by the expenditure in early metaphylaxis in nursery and in autogenous vaccines in sows and nursery pigs; in the Netherlands, by expenditure on autogenous vaccines in sows and nursery pigs; and in Spain, by the expenditures in early metaphylaxis and to a lesser extent by the mortality in nursery pigs. Therefore, the differences in costs between countries can be explained to a great extent by the measures to control S. suis implemented in each country. In Spain and in Germany, use of antimicrobials, predominantly beta-lactams, is still crucial for the control of the disease.
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- 2021
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6. Risk factors for new bovine brucellosis infections in Colombian herds
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Liliana Cárdenas, Mario Peña, Oscar Melo, and Jordi Casal
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Brucella-free herds ,Bovine brucellosis infection ,Colombia ,Risk factors ,Veterinary medicine ,SF600-1100 - Abstract
Abstract Background 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. Results 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
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- 2019
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7. A survey of biosecurity measures and serological status for bovine viral diarrhoea virus and bovine herpesvirus 1 on dairy cattle farms in north-west and north-east Spain
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Francisco J Villaamil, Ignacio Arnaiz, Alberto Allepuz, Miquel Molins, Mercedes Lazaro, Bibiana Benavides, Sebastián J Moya, Jordi Casal Fabrega, Eduardo Yus, and Francisco J Dieguez
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Veterinary medicine ,SF600-1100 - Abstract
Background Biosecurity is a key measure to reduce and prevent the introduction of diseases to farms and minimise spread of diseases within a herd. The aim of the study was to characterise the current application of biosecurity measures on dairy cattle farms in Spain along with their bovine viral diarrhoea and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis status.Methods Data on biosecurity measures for 124 dairy herds were collected using a questionnaire. The sanitary status of these farms for bovine viral diarrhoea and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis was also assessed using antibody ELISA. Data were analysed using multiple correspondence analysis and a two-step cluster analysis.Results Three main clusters of farms were identified: clusters 1 and 2 included herds of small and intermediate sizes. These, particularly cluster 1, showed the most deficiencies in the control of vehicles and visitors. However, laboratory tests were always performed on purchased animals. 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 more often.Conclusion The study indicated that, in the study population, there are serious shortcomings in the application of biosecurity measures on dairy farms, exposing them to disease transmission. This survey also highlights regional and herd size-related differences in the implementation of biosecurity. Collecting data is an important first step to identification of specific weaknesses in different farm typologies, and an adequate follow-up is needed to ensure that measures are implemented correctly on farms.
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- 2020
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8. Knowledge and attitudes about rabies in dog-bite victims in Bangladesh
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Ahmed Nawsher Alam, Mahmuda Siddiqua, and Jordi Casal
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Medicine (General) ,R5-920 - Abstract
Rabies is an important zoonotic disease that causes several thousand deaths in Asian countries. Bangladesh launched an elimination programme in 2010 based on the mass vaccination of dogs, management of dog bites, application of post-exposure prophylaxis and communication and social mobilization. The aim of this study is to ascertain the behaviour of and knowledge about dog-bite victims.A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on 885 dog-bite victims who presented themselves for post-exposure rabies vaccination to six randomly selected vaccination centers, in addition to a tertiary-level hospital in Bangladesh. Most dog-bite victims were male (70%) and with very low or no education qualifications (75%). Respondents' knowledge of rabies was low: 58% were unaware of the consequences of a dog bite and 52% did not know about any indication of rabies. Most knew that rabies in humans can be prevented after dog bites, but up to 70% did not give a correct answer for other questions related to the prevention and treatment of rabies. Knowledge and attitudes about rabies is closely related to level of education. Finally, 58 of those surveyed (6.4%) did not complete the post-exposure prophylaxis correctly.In conclusion, knowledge about rabies among Bangladeshi citizens is low. An intensive plan to inform and educate people about dog bites, the risk of rabies and measures to adopt for preventing the disease should be implemented in order to reduce risk, including the need to complete post-exposure treatment. Keywords: Rabies, Bangladesh, Dog bites, Attitudes, Post-exposure prophylaxis
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- 2020
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9. Descriptive epidemiology of classical swine fever outbreaks in the period 2013-2018 in Colombia.
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Pilar Pineda, Adriana Deluque, Mario Peña, Olga Lucia Diaz, Alberto Allepuz, and Jordi Casal
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
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.
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- 2020
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10. A simple method to estimate the number of doses to include in a bank of vaccines. The case of Lumpy Skin Disease in France.
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Jordi Casal, Claude Saegerman, Stéphane Bertagnoli, Gilles Meyer, Jean Pierre Ganière, Philippe Caufour, Kris De Clercq, Philippe Jacquiet, Claire Hautefeuille, Florence Etore, and Sebastián Napp
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
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.
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- 2019
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11. Factors Associated with the Introduction of Mycobacterium avium spp. Paratuberculosis (MAP) into Dairy Herds in Galicia (North-West Spain): The Perception of Experts
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Francisco Javier Villaamil, Eduardo Yus, Bibiana Benavides, Alberto Allepuz, Sebastián Jesús Moya, Jordi Casal, Carmelo Ortega, and Francisco Javier Diéguez
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dairy cattle ,expert opinion ,Johne’s disease ,risk analysis ,Spain ,Veterinary medicine ,SF600-1100 ,Zoology ,QL1-991 - 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.
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- 2021
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12. Myxomatosis and Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease: A 30-Year Study of the Occurrence on Commercial Farms in Spain
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Joan M. Rosell, L. Fernando de la Fuente, Francisco Parra, Kevin P. Dalton, J. Ignacio Badiola Sáiz, Ana Pérez de Rozas, Juan J. Badiola Díez, Daniel Fernández de Luco, Jordi Casal, Natàlia Majó, Jordina Casas, Ricard Garriga, and Xosé M. Fernández Magariños
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animal welfare ,disease prevention ,myxomatosis prevalence ,rabbit haemorrhagic disease incidence ,Veterinary medicine ,SF600-1100 ,Zoology ,QL1-991 - Abstract
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 1988−1989 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 2011−2018 was higher from April to August (p < 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.
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- 2019
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13. Risk of introduction of lumpy skin disease in France by the import of vectors in animal trucks.
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Claude Saegerman, Stéphane Bertagnoli, Gilles Meyer, Jean-Pierre Ganière, Philippe Caufour, Kris De Clercq, Philippe Jacquiet, Guillaume Fournié, Claire Hautefeuille, Florence Etore, and Jordi Casal
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
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.
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- 2018
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14. Understanding the legal trade of cattle and camels and the derived risk of Rift Valley Fever introduction into and transmission within Egypt.
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Sebastian Napp, Veronique Chevalier, Núria Busquets, Paolo Calistri, Jordi Casal, Mohamed Attia, Rehab Elbassal, Heba Hosni, Hatem Farrag, Noura Hassan, Rasha Tawfik, Sohair Abd Elkader, and Shahin Bayomy
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Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine ,RC955-962 ,Public aspects of medicine ,RA1-1270 - Abstract
Rift Valley Fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne zoonosis, which may cause significant losses for the livestock sector and have serious public health implications. Egypt has been repeatedly affected by RVF epidemics, mainly associated to the importation of animals from sub-Saharan countries, where the disease is endemic. The objective of our study was the improvement of the surveillance and control strategies implemented in Egypt. In order to do that, first we evaluated the legal trade of live animals into and within Egypt. Then, we assessed the risk of Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV) transmission within the country using a multi-criteria evaluation approach. Finally, we combined the animal trade and the risk of RVFV transmission data to identify those areas and periods in which the introduction of RVFV is more likely. Our results indicate that the main risk of RVFV introduction is posed by the continuous flow of large number of camels coming from Sudan. The risk of RVFV transmission by vectors is restricted to the areas surrounding the Nile river, and does not vary significantly throughout the year. Imported camels are taken to quarantines, where the risk of RVFV transmission by vectors is generally low. Then, they are taken to animal markets or slaughterhouses, many located in populated areas, where the risk of RVFV transmission to animals or humans is much higher. The measures currently implemented (quarantines, vaccination or testing) seem to have a limited effect in reducing the risk of RVFV introduction, and therefore other (risk-based) surveillance strategies are proposed.
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- 2018
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15. Farmer and Veterinarian Attitudes towards the Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Programme in Spain: What Is Going on in the Field?
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Giovanna Ciaravino, Patricia Ibarra, Ester Casal, Sergi Lopez, Josep Espluga, Jordi Casal, Sebastian Napp, and Alberto Allepuz
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bovine tuberculosis ,qualitative epidemiology ,ethnography ,sociological factors ,disease eradication ,Veterinary medicine ,SF600-1100 - Abstract
The effectiveness of health interventions against bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is influenced by several “non-biological” factors that may hamper bTB detection and control. Although the engagement of stakeholders is a key factor for the eradication programme’s success, social factors have been often ignored in the control programmes of animal diseases, especially in developed countries. In this study, we used a qualitative approach to investigate perceptions, opinions, attitudes, and beliefs of farmers, and veterinarians who may influence the effectiveness of the Spanish bTB eradication programme. The study was carried out in two phases. First, 13 key representatives of different groups involved in the programme were interviewed through exploratory interviews to identify most relevant themes circulating in the population. Interviews focused on strong and weak points of the programme; reasons for failure to achieve eradication; benefits of being disease free; future perspectives, and proposed changes to the programme. Based on these results, a thematic guide was developed and detailed information was gained through face-to-face in-depth interviews conducted on a purposive sample of 39 farmers and veterinarians. Data were analysed following an ethnographic methodology. Main results suggested that the bTB programme is perceived as a law enforcement duty without an adequate motivation of some stakeholders and a general feeling of distrust arose. The complexity of bTB epidemiology combined with gaps in knowledge and weak communication throughout stakeholders contributed to causing disbeliefs, which in turn generated different kinds of guesses and interpretations. Low reliability in the routine skin test for bTB screening was expressed and the level of confidence on test results interpretation was linked with skills and experience of public and private veterinarians in the field. Lack of training for farmers and pressure faced by veterinarians during field activities also emerged. Few benefits of being bTB free were perceived and comparative grievances referred to wildlife and other domestic reservoirs, sector-specific legislation for bullfighting farms, and the absence of specific health legislation for game hunting farms were reported. Understanding reasons for demotivation and scepticism may help institutions to ensure stakeholders’ collaboration and increase the acceptability of control measures leading to an earlier achievement of eradication.
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- 2017
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16. Animal Diseases Caused by Orbiviruses, Algeria
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Hafsa Madani, Jordi Casal, Anna Alba, Alberto Allepuz, Catherine Cêtre-Sossah, Leila Hafsi, Houria Kount-Chareb, Nadera Bouayed-Chaouach, Hassiba Saadaoui, and Sebastian Napp
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bluetongue virus ,epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus ,African horse sickness virus ,orbiviruses ,viruses ,zoonoses ,Medicine ,Infectious and parasitic diseases ,RC109-216 - Abstract
Antibodies against bluetongue virus were detected in cattle, sheep, goats, and camels in Algeria in 2008. Antibodies against epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus were detected in cattle, but antibodies against African horse sickness virus were not detected in horses and mules. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease in northern Africa poses a major risk for the European Union.
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- 2011
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17. Epidemiological investigation of bovine tuberculosis herd breakdowns in Spain 2009/2011.
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Sintayehu Guta, Jordi Casal, Sebastian Napp, Jose Luis Saez, Ariadna Garcia-Saenz, Bernat Perez de Val, Beatriz Romero, Julio Alvarez, and Alberto Allepuz
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
We analyzed the most likely cause of 687 bovine tuberculosis (bTB) breakdowns detected in Spain between 2009 and 2011 (i.e., 22% of the total number of breakdowns detected during this period). Seven possible causes were considered: i) residual infection; ii) introduction of infected cattle from other herds; iii) sharing of pastures with infected herds; iv) contiguous spread from infected neighbor herds; v) presence of infected goats in the farm; vi) interaction with wildlife reservoirs and vii) contact with an infected human. For each possible cause a decision tree was developed and key questions were included in each of them. Answers to these key questions lead to different events within each decision tree. In order to assess the likelihood of occurrence of the different events a qualitative risk assessment approach was used. For this purpose, an expert opinion workshop was organized and ordinal values, ranging from 0 to 9 (i.e., null to very high likelihood of occurrence) were assigned. The analysis identified residual infection as the most frequent cause of bTB breakdowns (22.3%; 95%CI: 19.4-25.6), followed by interaction with wildlife reservoirs (13.1%; 95%CI: 10.8-15.8). The introduction of infected cattle, sharing of pastures and contiguous spread from infected neighbour herds were also identified as relevant causes. In 41.6% (95%CI: 38.0-45.4) of the breakdowns the origin of infection remained unknown. Veterinary officers conducting bTB breakdown investigations have to state their opinion about the possible cause of each breakdown. Comparison between the results of our analysis and the opinion from veterinary officers revealed a slight concordance. This slight agreement might reflect a lack of harmonized criteria to assess the most likely cause of bTB breakdowns as well as different perceptions about the importance of the possible causes. This is especially relevant in the case of the role of wildlife reservoirs.
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- 2014
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18. Final disposition and quality auditing of the rehabilitation process in wild raptors admitted to a Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Catalonia, Spain, during a twelve year period (1995-2007).
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Rafael A Molina-López, Jordi Casal, and Laila Darwich
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
BACKGROUND: Variability in reporting and classification methods in previous published data of the final dispositions in the rehabilitation of wild raptors makes use of this data limited in trying to audit the quality of the rehabilitation process. Crude as well as stratified disposition rates are needed if quality auditing of the rehabilitation process is to be adequately performed. METHODOLOGY: Final dispositions of 6221 hospitalized wild raptors admitted at a wildlife rehabilitation centre (WRC) of Catalonia during 1995-2007 were analyzed. These dispositions were calculated as the euthanasia (Er), unassisted mortality (Mr), release (Rr) and captivity rates (Cr)., time to death (Td) for dead and euthanized raptors, and length of stay for released (Tr) raptors was estimated. Stratified analyses by main causes of admission and clinical signs were performed. RESULTS: THE DISPOSITION FOR THE TOTAL POPULATION WERE: Er = 30.6%, Mr = 19.1%, Rr = 47.2%, and Cr = 3%. By main causes of admission, Er was higher in the trauma category (34.2%), whereas Mr was found similar between trauma (37.4%) and non-trauma categories (34.8%). The highest Rr was observed for the orphaned group (77.9%). Furthermore, Cr was low in all the categories (
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- 2013
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19. Model to track wild birds for avian influenza by means of population dynamics and surveillance information.
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Anna Alba, Dominique J Bicout, Francesc Vidal, Antoni Curcó, Alberto Allepuz, Sebastián Napp, Ignacio García-Bocanegra, Taiana Costa, and Jordi Casal
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
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 individual-based 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.
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- 2012
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20. Causes of morbidity in wild raptor populations admitted at a wildlife rehabilitation centre in Spain from 1995-2007: a long term retrospective study.
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Rafael A Molina-López, Jordi Casal, and Laila Darwich
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Medicine ,Science - Abstract
BACKGROUND: Morbidity studies complement the understanding of hazards to raptors by identifying natural or anthropogenic factors. Descriptive epidemiological studies of wildlife have become an important source of information about hazards to wildlife populations. On the other hand, data referenced to the overall wild population could provide a more accurate assessment of the potential impact of the morbidity/mortality causes in populations of wild birds. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The present study described the morbidity causes of hospitalized wild raptors and their incidence in the wild populations, through a long term retrospective study conducted at a wildlife rehabilitation centre of Catalonia (1995-2007). Importantly, Seasonal Cumulative Incidences (SCI) were calculated considering estimations of the wild population in the region and trend analyses were applied among the different years. A total of 7021 birds were analysed: 7 species of Strigiformes (n = 3521) and 23 of Falconiformes (n = 3500). The main causes of morbidity were trauma (49.5%), mostly in the Falconiformes, and orphaned/young birds (32.2%) mainly in the Strigiformes. During wintering periods, the largest morbidity incidence was observed in Accipiter gentillis due to gunshot wounds and in Tyto alba due to vehicle trauma. Within the breeding season, Falco tinnunculus (orphaned/young category) and Bubo bubo (electrocution and metabolic disorders) represented the most affected species. Cases due to orphaned/young, infectious/parasitic diseases, electrocution and unknown trauma tended to increase among years. By contrast, cases by undetermined cause, vehicle trauma and captivity decreased throughout the study period. Interestingly, gunshot injuries remained constant during the study period. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Frequencies of morbidity causes calculated as the proportion of each cause referred to the total number of admitted cases, allowed a qualitative assessment of hazards for the studied populations. However, cumulative incidences based on estimated wild raptor population provided a more accurate approach to the potential ecological impact of the morbidity causes in the wild populations.
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- 2011
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21. Analysing WAHIS Animal Health Immediate Notifications to Understand Global Reporting Trends and Measure Early Warning Capacities (2005–2021)
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Shu-Yu Lin, Daniel Beltran-Alcrudo, Lina Awada, Christopher Hamilton-West, Andrea Lavarello Schettini, Paula Cáceres, Paolo Tizzani, Alberto Allepuz, and Jordi Casal
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General Veterinary ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,General Medicine - Abstract
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.
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- 2023
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22. Risk factors associated to Streptococcus suis cases in swine farms in Spain
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Carlos Neila-Ibáñez, Sebastián Napp, Lola Pailler-García, Lorena Franco-Martínez, José Joaquín Cerón, Virginia Aragon, and Jordi Casal
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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.
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- 2022
23. Evaluation of the economic impact of classical and African swine fever epidemics using OutCosT, a new spreadsheet‐based tool
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Jordi Casal, Damián Tago, Pilar Pineda, Blagojcho Tabakovski, Imelda Santos, Carolyn Benigno, Tran Huynh, Giovanna Ciaravino, and Daniel Beltran‐Alcrudo
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North Macedonia ,General Veterinary ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,Swine ,Classical swine fever ,General Medicine ,Colombia ,African Swine Fever Virus ,The Philip-pines ,Disease Outbreaks ,Classical Swine Fever ,Vietnam ,Animals ,Humans ,Tool ,Economic cost ,African swine fever ,African Swine Fever ,Epidemics ,Retrospective Studies - Abstract
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.
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- 2022
24. Short communication: Risk factors associated with Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis introduction into dairy herds in Galicia, northwestern Spain
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Sebastián Moya, F.J. Diéguez, Bibiana Benavides Benavides, Jordi Casal, F.J. Villamil, Alberto Allepuz, and E. Yus
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Cattle Diseases ,Paratuberculosis ,Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ,Logistic regression ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Feces ,03 medical and health sciences ,Risk Factors ,Environmental health ,Genetics ,medicine ,Animals ,Dairy cattle ,030304 developmental biology ,0303 health sciences ,Dairy herds ,0402 animal and dairy science ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,medicine.disease ,040201 dairy & animal science ,Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis ,Dairying ,Exact test ,Logistic Models ,Geography ,Spain ,Herd ,Potential confounder ,Cattle ,Female ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Food Science - Abstract
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.
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- 2020
25. Development of a quantitative risk assessment of bovine viral diarrhea virus and bovine herpesvirus-1 introduction in dairy cattle herds to improve biosecurity
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Jordi Casal, R. Armengol, Sebastián Moya, E. Yus, Bibiana Benavides Benavides, Alberto Allepuz, J.F. Diéguez, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Anatomía, Produción Animal e Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Patoloxía Animal, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
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Veterinary medicine ,Epidemiology ,animal diseases ,Biosecurity ,Bovine herpesvirus-1 ,Antibodies, Viral ,Risk Assessment ,Virus ,03 medical and health sciences ,Farm level ,Genetics ,Animals ,Animal Husbandry ,Viral diarrhea ,Dairy cattle ,Herpesvirus 1, Bovine ,Risk assessment ,030304 developmental biology ,0303 health sciences ,Diarrhea Viruses, Bovine Viral ,biology ,0402 animal and dairy science ,Herpesviridae Infections ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,biology.organism_classification ,040201 dairy & animal science ,Bovine herpesvirus 1 ,Communicable Disease Control ,Herd ,Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease ,Cattle ,Female ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Bovine viral diarrhea virus ,Food Science - Abstract
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
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- 2020
26. Risk of introduction of Lumpy Skin Disease into France through imports of cattle
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Claire Hautefeuille, Philippe Jacquiet, Claude Saegerman, Stéphane Bertagnoli, Jean-Pierre Ganiere, Kris De Clercq, Gilles Meyer, Philippe Caufour, Jordi Casal, Florence Etore, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire [Liège], Members of the Expert Committee for Animal Health and Welfare, Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (ANSES), Interactions hôtes-agents pathogènes [Toulouse] (IHAP), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT), Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique (ONIRIS), Animal, Santé, Territoires, Risques et Ecosystèmes (UMR ASTRE), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Département Systèmes Biologiques (Cirad-BIOS), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad), Sciensano [Bruxelles], Réseau International des Instituts Pasteur (RIIP), Direction de l'Evaluation des Risques (DER), Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal [UAB, Spain] (CReSA), and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)-Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA)
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Lumpy Skin Disease ,Cattle Diseases ,L73 - Maladies des animaux ,Capripoxvirus ,Disease Outbreaks ,law.invention ,0403 veterinary science ,Communicable Diseases, Imported ,[SDV.MHEP.MI]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Human health and pathology/Infectious diseases ,law ,Risk analysis (business) ,Socioeconomics ,Chèvre ,2. Zero hunger ,0303 health sciences ,biology ,U10 - Informatique, mathématiques et statistiques ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,General Medicine ,Virus ,3. Good health ,Lumpy skin disease virus ,Transmission (mechanics) ,Geography ,France ,Risk assessment ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Spread ,Risk Assessment ,03 medical and health sciences ,Lumpy skin disease ,medicine ,Animals ,Transmission ,Surveillance épidémiologique ,Transmission des maladies ,Probability ,030304 developmental biology ,Stochastic Processes ,[SDV.BA.MVSA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Veterinary medicine and animal Health ,Méthode statistique ,General Veterinary ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,Outbreak ,Modèle de simulation ,medicine.disease ,biology.organism_classification ,Vector (epidemiology) ,Cattle - Abstract
International audience; The lumpy skin disease (LSD) virus belongs to the genus Capripoxvirus and causes a disease in cattle with economic impacts. In November 2014, the disease was first reported in Europe (in Cyprus); it was then reported in Greece (in August 2015) and has spread through different Balkan countries since 2016. Although vector transmission is predominant in at-risk areas, long-distance transmission usually occurs through movements of infected cattle. In order to estimate the threat for France, a quantitative import risk analysis (QIRA) model was developed to assess the risk of LSD being introduced into France by imports of cattle. Based on available information and using a stochastic model, the probability of a first outbreak of LSD in France following the import of batches of infected live cattle for breeding or fattening was estimated to be 5.4 x 10(-4) (95% probability interval [PI]: 0.4 x 10(-4); 28.7 x 10(-4)) in summer months (during high vector activity) and 1.8 x 10(-4) (95% PI: 0.14 x 10(-4); 15 x 10(-4)) in winter months. The development of a stochastic QIRA made it possible to quantify the risk of LSD being introduced into France through imports of live cattle. 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 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 diseases.
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- 2019
27. Evaluation of the sensitivity of the classical swine fever surveillance system in two free zones in Colombia
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Adriana Deluque, Mario Peña, Pilar Pineda, Jordi Casal, Cristian Santa, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
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Veterinary medicine ,Farms ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Swine ,Population ,Voluntary participation ,Early detection ,Colombia ,Disease Outbreaks ,0403 veterinary science ,Classical Swine Fever ,03 medical and health sciences ,Animals ,Subclinical disease ,education ,030304 developmental biology ,Swine Diseases ,0303 health sciences ,education.field_of_study ,General Veterinary ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,biology ,Free zone ,Outbreak ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,General Medicine ,biology.organism_classification ,Scenario tree ,Classical swine fever ,Classical Swine Fever Virus - Abstract
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
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- 2021
28. Aprenentatge Basat en Projectes en àmbits STEM : claus metodològiques i reptes
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Jordi Casal
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ABP ,CTEM ,Currículum ,Competències ,Syllabus ,ctem ,abp ,General Engineering ,currículum ,STEM ,competències ,Education ,PBL ,Competences - Abstract
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.
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- 2021
29. Cattle farmers’ perception of biosecurity measures and the main predictors of behaviour change: The first European-wide pilot study
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Laura Pieper, Véronique Renault, Bert Damiaans, Isabelle Tourette, Ignacio García Bocanegra, Claude Saegerman, Etienne Petit, Marnie L. Brennan, Saúl Jiménez Ruiz, Celine Simoneit, Marie-France Humblet, Jordi Casal, Jeroen Dewulf, Steven Sarrazin, Linda van Wuyckhuise, Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (Belgium), Ghent University, and Université de Liège
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Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ,040301 veterinary sciences ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Control (management) ,Biosecurity ,Cattle Diseases ,Pilot Projects ,0403 veterinary science ,03 medical and health sciences ,immune system diseases ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Perception ,Animals ,Humans ,Health belief model ,Personality ,Animal Husbandry ,Socioeconomics ,030304 developmental biology ,media_common ,0303 health sciences ,Farmers ,General Veterinary ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,Risk aversion ,food and beverages ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,General Medicine ,respiratory tract diseases ,Risk perception ,Organic farming ,Cattle ,Business - Abstract
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.
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- 2021
30. Factors Associated with the Introduction of Mycobacterium avium spp. Paratuberculosis (MAP) into Dairy Herds in Galicia (North-West Spain): The Perception of Experts
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Jordi Casal, Francisco Javier Villaamil, Alberto Allepuz, Sebastián Moya, Carmelo Ortega, Bibiana Benavides Benavides, Francisco Javier Diéguez, E. Yus, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Anatomía, Produción Animal e Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Patoloxía Animal, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
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Risk analysis ,risk analysis ,040301 veterinary sciences ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Decision tree ,Paratuberculosis ,Article ,0403 veterinary science ,Perception ,Environmental health ,lcsh:Zoology ,medicine ,Dairy cattle ,lcsh:QL1-991 ,media_common ,lcsh:Veterinary medicine ,General Veterinary ,Johne’s disease ,Dairy herds ,dairy cattle ,0402 animal and dairy science ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,medicine.disease ,040201 dairy & animal science ,expert opinion ,Geography ,Expert opinion ,Spain ,Herd ,lcsh:SF600-1100 ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Johne's disease - Abstract
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.
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- 2021
31. Model to Track Wild Birds for Avian Influenza by Means of Population Dynamics and Surveillance Information
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Jordi Casal, Ignacio García-Bocanegra, Anna Alba, Alberto Allepuz, Antoni Curcó, Francesc Vidal, Dominique J. Bicout, Sebastian Napp, and Taiana Costa
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Epidemiology ,animal diseases ,Population Dynamics ,Waterfowl ,Population Modeling ,lcsh:Medicine ,Avian influenza ,Wildlife ,medicine.disease_cause ,Zoonoses ,lcsh:Science ,Avian influenza A viruses ,education.field_of_study ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Ecology ,Geography ,Zoonotic Diseases ,Local scale ,virus diseases ,Monte Carlo methods ,Biodiversity ,Gulls ,Ducks ,Veterinary Diseases ,Veterinary Informatics ,Population Surveillance ,Medicine ,Infectious diseases ,Identification (biology) ,Seasons ,Research Article ,Population dynamics ,Animal Types ,Infectious disease surveillance ,Population ,Animals, Wild ,Animal migration ,Models, Biological ,Environmental Epidemiology ,Infectious Disease Epidemiology ,Ecosystems ,Veterinary Epidemiology ,Birds ,Animal Influenza ,Species Specificity ,medicine ,Animals ,Ecosystem ,Computer Simulation ,education ,Biology ,Population Biology ,lcsh:R ,Data interpretation ,Computational Biology ,Veterinary Virology ,biology.organism_classification ,Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 ,Ebre delta ,Spain ,Influenza in Birds ,Veterinary Science ,lcsh:Q ,Infectious Disease Modeling ,Ecosystem Modeling - Abstract
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
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- 2021
32. Most likely causes of infection and risk factors for tuberculosis in Spanish cattle herds
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Jose Luis Sáez-Llorente, Giovanna Ciaravino, Jordi Casal, Minerva Laranjo-González, Alberto Allepuz, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
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Surveillance data ,Farms ,General Veterinary ,business.industry ,Biosecurity ,Wildlife ,Risk factors for tuberculosis ,General Medicine ,Odds ratio ,Confidence interval ,Risk Factors ,Spain ,Environmental health ,Case-Control Studies ,Herd ,Bovine tuberculosis ,Medicine ,Animals ,Cattle ,business ,Tuberculosis, Bovine - Abstract
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
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- 2020
33. Descriptive epidemiology of classical swine fever outbreaks in the period 2013-2018 in Colombia
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Alberto Allepuz, Pilar Pineda, Olga Lucia Diaz, Adriana Deluque, Jordi Casal, Mario Peña, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
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0301 basic medicine ,Veterinary medicine ,Swine ,Epidemiology ,Geographical locations ,Animal Diseases ,Disease Outbreaks ,0403 veterinary science ,Risk Factors ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Public and Occupational Health ,Mammals ,Multidisciplinary ,Mortality rate ,Eukaryota ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Vaccination and Immunization ,Veterinary Diseases ,Research Design ,Vertebrates ,symbols ,Medicine ,Pigs ,Viral disease ,Research Article ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Census ,Farms ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Science ,Immunology ,Biology ,Colombia ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Veterinary Epidemiology ,Classical Swine Fever ,03 medical and health sciences ,symbols.namesake ,Spatio-Temporal Analysis ,medicine ,Animals ,Poisson regression ,Survey Research ,Organisms ,Outbreak ,Biology and Life Sciences ,South America ,biology.organism_classification ,030104 developmental biology ,Classical swine fever ,Relative risk ,Amniotes ,Herd ,Veterinary Science ,Preventive Medicine ,Swine Fever ,People and places ,Zoology - Abstract
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
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- 2020
34. Quantitative risk assessment of introduction of BVDV and BoHV-1 through indirect contacts based on implemented biosecurity measures in dairy farms of Spain
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E. Yus, Alberto Allepuz, Jordi Casal, Bibiana Benavides Benavides, J.F. Diéguez, and Sebastián Moya
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040301 veterinary sciences ,animal diseases ,030231 tropical medicine ,Biosecurity ,Risk Assessment ,0403 veterinary science ,03 medical and health sciences ,Agricultural science ,0302 clinical medicine ,Food Animals ,Prevalence ,Farm workers ,Animals ,Viral diarrhea ,Dairy cattle ,Herpesvirus 1, Bovine ,Diarrhea Viruses, Bovine Viral ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Herpesviridae Infections ,Dairying ,Geography ,Spain ,Expert opinion ,Herd ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Bovine Virus Diarrhea-Mucosal Disease ,Cattle ,Risk assessment - Abstract
A stochastic quantitative risk assessment model was developed to estimate the annual probability of introduction of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) on 127 dairy farms through indirect contacts. Vehicles transporting calves, cattle to slaughterhouse, dead animals, and mixture of feed, as well as visits by veterinarians and hoof trimmers, farm workers and contacts with neighbors were considered in the model. Data from biosecurity questionnaires of each farm, scientific literature and expert opinion from field veterinarians, animal vehicle drivers, hoof trimmers and personnel from rendering transport companies were used to estimate values for input parameters. Results showed that the annual probability of introducing BVDV or BoHV-1 through indirect contacts was very heterogeneous. The overall distribution of median values for each farm ranged from 0.5 to 14.6% and from 1.0 to 24.9% for BVDV and BoHV-1, respectively. The model identified that providing protective clothing and boots to visits, not allowing the animal vehicle driver to come into contact with animals present on the farm and ensuring that calf vehicles arrived empty, were the measures with the highest impact on the probability of infection for most farms. This model could be a useful tool to show the impact of the measures to farmers and veterinarians, thus increasing their awareness on biosecurity. In addition, it could support decision making on which measures should be prioritized in dairy cattle herds to reduce the probability of introduction of diseases.
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- 2020
35. Influence on the implementation of biosecurity measures in dairy cattle farms: Communication between veterinarians and dairy farmers
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F. Javier Diéguez, Kin Wing Chan, Francisco Tirado, Jordi Casal, Josep Espluga, Bibiana Benavides Benavides, Stephen Hinchliffe, Alberto Allepuz, Henry Buller, Giovanna Ciaravino, E. Yus, Sebastián Moya, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
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Farms ,040301 veterinary sciences ,030231 tropical medicine ,Biosecurity ,Cattle Diseases ,Veterinarians ,0403 veterinary science ,03 medical and health sciences ,Agricultural science ,0302 clinical medicine ,Food Animals ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,medicine ,Sanctions ,Animals ,Humans ,Animal Husbandry ,Dairy cattle ,Confusion ,Government ,Farmers ,Communication ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Focus group ,Dairying ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Cattle ,Business ,medicine.symptom - Abstract
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
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- 2020
36. Dairy farmers’ decision‐making to implement biosecurity measures: A study of psychosocial factors
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Sebastián Moya, Giovanna Ciaravino, Javier Diéguez, E. Yus, Alberto Allepuz, Jordi Casal, Bibiana Benavides Benavides, Francisco Tirado, Josep Espluga, Ramon Armengol, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Anatomía, Produción Animal e Ciencias Clínicas Veterinarias, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Patoloxía Animal, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
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Farms ,Disease prevention ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Epidemiology ,Dairy farmer ,Decision Making ,Biosecurity ,Grounded theory ,Veterinarians ,0403 veterinary science ,03 medical and health sciences ,Sociology ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Animals ,Humans ,Farm workers ,Animal Husbandry ,Socioeconomics ,030304 developmental biology ,sociology ,0303 health sciences ,Farmers ,General Veterinary ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,disease prevention ,dairy farms ,Original Articles ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,General Medicine ,Dairying ,Social dynamics ,Spain ,qualitative ,Original Article ,epidemiology ,Communication skills ,Qualitative ,Psychosocial ,Dairy farms ,biosecurity - Abstract
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
- Published
- 2020
37. Analysis of domestic animal movements in Colombia (2006–2014) and their possible influence on the bovine brucellosis spread
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Jhon J. Cañas-Álvarez, Ana Vázquez, Liliana Cárdenas, Ester Boixadera, and Jordi Casal
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Veterinary medicine ,Livestock ,040301 veterinary sciences ,030231 tropical medicine ,Disease ,Colombia ,Biology ,0403 veterinary science ,Brucellosis, Bovine ,03 medical and health sciences ,Bovine brucellosis ,0302 clinical medicine ,Food Animals ,Prevalence ,medicine ,Animals ,Horses ,Animal Husbandry ,Demography ,High prevalence ,business.industry ,Incidence (epidemiology) ,Brucellosis ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,medicine.disease ,Domestic animal ,Animals, Domestic ,Space-Time Clustering ,Multivariate Analysis ,Herd ,Animal Migration ,Cattle ,Animal Science and Zoology ,business - Abstract
Bovine brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that causes great economic losses. The disease is endemic in Colombia and animal movements from infected herds carry a risk of introduction to other herds. With the objective of analyzing the animal movements and determining their relationship with bovine brucellosis, we performed a descriptive analysis of the space–time movement of livestock in Colombia between 2006 and 2014. Multiple linear regression models (MLR) were employed to determine the relationship between brucellosis status and animal movements at the province level. The prevalence of bovine brucellosis in cattle was the dependent variable, and a total of 14 independent variables related to location, year, census, and animal movements were included. The prevalence of bovine brucellosis was significantly affected by the province (F = 3.42; P
- Published
- 2018
38. Myxomatosis and Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease: A 30-Year Study of the Occurrence on Commercial Farms in Spain
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Jordi Casal, Kevin P. Dalton, Francisco Parra, J. M. Rosell, Daniel Fernández de Luco, J. Ignacio Badiola Sáiz, Natàlia Majó, Juan J. Badiola Díez, Xosé M. Fernández Magariños, L. Fernando de la Fuente, Ricard Garriga, Jordina Casas, Ana M. Pérez de Rozas, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
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Veterinary medicine ,Disease prevention ,040301 veterinary sciences ,myxomatosis prevalence ,Disease ,Article ,animal welfare ,0403 veterinary science ,Rabbit haemorrhagic disease ,rabbit haemorrhagic disease incidence ,03 medical and health sciences ,Animal welfare ,lcsh:Zoology ,Medicine ,lcsh:QL1-991 ,030304 developmental biology ,0303 health sciences ,Myxomatosis ,lcsh:Veterinary medicine ,General Veterinary ,biology ,business.industry ,Incidence (epidemiology) ,disease prevention ,Retrospective cohort study ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease ,Myxomatosis prevalence ,Vaccination ,Nasal discharge ,Rabbit haemorrhagicdisease incidence ,lcsh:SF600-1100 ,Animal Science and Zoology ,business - Abstract
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 <, 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.
- Published
- 2019
39. Development of a risk assessment tool for improving biosecurity on pig farms
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Jordi Casal, Enric Mateu, Gerard E. Martín-Valls, and Alberto Allepuz
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Swine Diseases ,Voluntary Program ,Farms ,Swine ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Virus transmission ,animal diseases ,Biosecurity ,0402 animal and dairy science ,Risk management tools ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Risk Assessment ,040201 dairy & animal science ,Disease control ,0403 veterinary science ,Geography ,Food Animals ,Spain ,Environmental health ,Animals ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Animal Husbandry ,Pig farms ,Risk assessment ,Probability - Abstract
In the present study a risk assessment tool was developed for improving biosecurity on pig farms as part of a voluntary program for PRRS control on farms located in NE Spain. The arrival of the PRRS virus through different routes was estimated based on their likelihood of harbouring the virus and the estimation of a score for the probability of introduction. For each possible route of introduction or spread within the herds, single or combined biosecurity measures aimed at reducing the probability of PRRS virus transmission were selected. Results showed that the scores for the probability of introduction and spreading were related to a highly variable application of biosecurity measures. The tool developed in the present study may be suitable for identifying where efforts should be focused in biosecurity actions forming part of disease control programs.
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- 2018
40. A survey of biosecurity measures and serological status for bovine viral diarrhoea virus and bovine herpesvirus 1 on dairy cattle farms in north‐west and north‐east Spain
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Villaamil, Francisco J, primary, Arnaiz, Ignacio, additional, Allepuz, Alberto, additional, Molins, Miquel, additional, Lazaro, Mercedes, additional, Benavides, Bibiana, additional, Moya, Sebastián J, additional, Fabrega, Jordi Casal, additional, Yus, Eduardo, additional, and Dieguez, Francisco J, additional
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- 2020
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41. Rural veterinarian's perception and practices in terms of biosecurity across three European countries
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V. Moons, Claude Saegerman, B. Gauthier, G. Bosquet, Véronique Renault, L. M. Cebrián, M. F. Humblet, Jordi Casal, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
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Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ,040301 veterinary sciences ,media_common.quotation_subject ,030231 tropical medicine ,Biosecurity ,Cattle Diseases ,Context (language use) ,Disease ,Security Measures ,Veterinarians ,0403 veterinary science ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Risk Factors ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Perception ,Animals ,Animal Husbandry ,Marketing ,media_common ,Farmers ,General Veterinary ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,Descriptive statistics ,Animal health ,business.industry ,Environmental resource management ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,General Medicine ,Risk factor (computing) ,Biocontainment ,Europe ,Cattle ,Female ,Business - Abstract
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
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- 2017
42. Un congreso científico en secundaria: articulando el aprendizaje basado en proyectos y la indagación científica
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Imma Selga, Neus Ruiz, Isabel Llorente, Xavier Domènech, Carles Serra Marimon, and Jordi Casal
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General Medicine - Abstract
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.
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- 2017
43. A survey of biosecurity measures applied on dairy cattle farms in Spain
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F.J. Diéguez, E. Yus, Mercedes Lazaro, Sebastián Moya, Ignacio Arnaiz, Francisco Javier Villaamil, Mikel Molins, Jordi Casal, Bibiana Benavides Benavides, and Alberto Allepuz
- Subjects
Agricultural science ,Geography ,Multiple correspondence analysis ,Dairy herds ,Biosecurity ,Herd ,Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis ,Viral diarrhea ,Dairy cattle - Abstract
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.
- Published
- 2019
44. Profiles of opinions among farmers and veterinarians towards the Tuberculosis Eradication Programme in cattle in Spain
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Alberto Pacios, Josep Espluga, Jordi Casal, Giovanna Ciaravino, Irene Mercader, and Alberto Allepuz
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Adult ,Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ,Tuberculosis ,040301 veterinary sciences ,media_common.quotation_subject ,030231 tropical medicine ,Psychological intervention ,Wildlife ,Veterinarians ,0403 veterinary science ,Social group ,03 medical and health sciences ,Young Adult ,0302 clinical medicine ,Food Animals ,Multiple correspondence analysis ,Perception ,medicine ,Animals ,Humans ,Socioeconomics ,media_common ,Aged ,Aged, 80 and over ,Farmers ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Middle Aged ,medicine.disease ,Telephone survey ,Attitude ,Homogeneous ,Spain ,Communicable Disease Control ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Cattle ,Tuberculosis, Bovine - Abstract
The level of commitment among farmers and veterinarians may have a significant influence on the effectiveness of control efforts against tuberculosis in cattle (bTB), facilitating or hindering the achievement of its eradication. In this study, we investigated the opinions and attitudes of farmers and veterinarians towards the bTB eradication programme in Spain. Our aim was to assess the existence of groups of people that share the same arguments and outline their characteristic features. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire using a telephone survey in a random sample of 706 farmers and 180 veterinarians. The relationships between the variables and individuals were explored by using Multiple Correspondence Analysis. Afterwards, we applied Hierarchical Clustering on Principal Components in order to identify and characterise the opinion profiles. We identified three different groups of opinions characterised by the attitude towards bTB diagnostic tests, the perception on the importance and the zoonotic impact of bTB, and the perceived importance of other domestic reservoirs. There were people with positive and people with negative attitudes towards the programme, and a third group with a tendency to not respond. The presence of opposite profiles was observed among farmers. Veterinarians, on the other hand, were more homogeneous, especially the group of veterinarians working in the official veterinary services, as the vast majority of them expressed a positive attitude towards the programme. Nevertheless, there were also a few veterinarians who showed the same negative attitude as farmers. Education and communication are of paramount importance to ensure the adequate commitment of all people involved in the eradication programme, and our results highlight that, in Spain, both should be improved. However, this alone may not be enough to change people's behaviours, and more complex change interventions might be necessary for people with a negative attitude. Such strategies should target the perception on the role of wildlife reservoirs, the uncertainty of ante-mortem tests results, as well as the beliefs on the importance of bTB.
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- 2019
45. Risk factors for new bovine brucellosis infections in Colombian herds
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Jordi Casal, Mario Peña, Liliana Cárdenas, Oscar O. Melo, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
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Male ,Veterinary medicine ,Animal breeding ,040301 veterinary sciences ,medicine.medical_treatment ,animal diseases ,Bovine brucellosis infection ,Brucella abortus ,Breeding ,Beef cattle ,Colombia ,Insemination ,Logistic regression ,0403 veterinary science ,Brucellosis, Bovine ,03 medical and health sciences ,medicine ,Animals ,Animal Husbandry ,Insemination, Artificial ,Dairy cattle ,030304 developmental biology ,Cryopreservation ,0303 health sciences ,lcsh:Veterinary medicine ,General Veterinary ,Artificial insemination ,Brucellosis ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,General Medicine ,medicine.disease ,Dairying ,Geography ,Risk factors ,Herd ,lcsh:SF600-1100 ,Cattle ,Female ,Brucella-free herds ,Research Article ,Semen Preservation - Abstract
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.
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- 2019
46. Characterization and evolution of countries affected by bovine brucellosis (1996–2014)
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P. Caceres, Jordi Casal, Paolo Tizzani, Liliana Cárdenas, Lina Awada, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
- Subjects
Time Factors ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Population ,Brucella abortus ,Handistatus ,OIE ,World Animal Health Information System ,bovine brucellosis ,brucellosis ,global distribution ,Disease ,Global Health ,Gross domestic product ,0403 veterinary science ,Brucellosis, Bovine ,03 medical and health sciences ,Bovine brucellosis ,medicine ,Per capita ,Animals ,education ,Socioeconomics ,030304 developmental biology ,0303 health sciences ,education.field_of_study ,General Veterinary ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,Brucellosis ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,General Medicine ,medicine.disease ,Geography ,Global distribution ,Enzootic ,Cattle - Abstract
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
- Published
- 2019
47. STEM: Oportunidades y retos desde la Enseñanza de las Ciencias
- Author
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Jordi Casal
- Subjects
Matching (statistics) ,Scientific competence ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Pseudoscience ,Science didactics ,Didáctica de las ciencias ,STEM ,Science education ,Politics ,Ciudadanía ,Socio-scientific issues ,Pedagogy ,Competencia científica ,Citizenship ,Controversias socio-científicas ,Sociology ,Inclusion (education) ,media_common - Abstract
"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.
- Published
- 2019
48. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the surveillance system for tuberculosis in cattle in Spain
- Author
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Sebastian Napp, Giovanna Ciaravino, A. Alba, Jose Luis Saez, Jordi Casal, Bernat Pérez de Val, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
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Tuberculosis ,040301 veterinary sciences ,030231 tropical medicine ,Transportation ,Context (language use) ,0403 veterinary science ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Food Animals ,Environmental health ,Bovine tuberculosis ,medicine ,Animals ,Hyaluronic Acid ,Stochastic Processes ,Routine screening ,business.industry ,Incidence (epidemiology) ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,medicine.disease ,Spain ,Population Surveillance ,Epidemiological Monitoring ,Herd ,Cattle ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Christian ministry ,business ,Tuberculosis, Bovine ,Abattoirs - Abstract
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.
- Published
- 2019
49. A simple method to estimate the number of doses to include in a bank of vaccines. The case of Lumpy Skin Disease in France
- Author
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Sebastian Napp, Claire Hautefeuille, Stéphane Bertagnoli, Florence Etore, Philippe Jacquiet, Philippe Caufour, Gilles Meyer, Kris De Clercq, Jordi Casal, Jean Pierre Ganière, Claude Saegerman, Producció Animal, Sanitat Animal, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal [UAB, Spain] (CReSA), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)-Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire [Liège], Interactions hôtes-agents pathogènes [Toulouse] (IHAP), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT), Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire, Agroalimentaire et de l'alimentation Nantes-Atlantique (ONIRIS), Animal, Santé, Territoires, Risques et Ecosystèmes (UMR ASTRE), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad), Unit Vesicular and Exotic Diseases, Centre d'Étude et de Recherches Vétérinaires et Agrochimiques (CODA-CERVA), Direction de l'Evaluation des Risques (DER), and Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire de l'alimentation, de l'environnement et du travail (ANSES)
- Subjects
Vaccination Coverage ,Lumpy Skin Disease ,L73 - Maladies des animaux ,Geographical locations ,0403 veterinary science ,Statistics ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Public and Occupational Health ,Mathematics ,Mammals ,Vaccines ,0303 health sciences ,Multidisciplinary ,Simulation and Modeling ,Vaccination ,Eukaryota ,Ruminants ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Vaccination and Immunization ,Lumpy skin disease virus ,3. Good health ,Europe ,méthode ,Infectious Diseases ,Veterinary Diseases ,Vaccination coverage ,Vertebrates ,Dynamic simulation model ,Medicine ,Veterinary medicine and animal Health ,France ,Autre (Sciences du Vivant) ,Research Article ,Buffle domestique ,[SDV.OT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Other [q-bio.OT] ,Infectious Disease Control ,Vaccin ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Science ,Dose d'application ,Immunology ,Évaluation du risque ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Veterinary Epidemiology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Besoin d'investissement ,Bovines ,Lumpy skin disease ,Maladie nodulaire cutanée ,Zébu ,medicine ,Animals ,Computer Simulation ,European Union ,Epidemics ,030304 developmental biology ,Bovin ,[SDV.BA.MVSA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Veterinary medicine and animal Health ,Volume ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Viral Vaccines ,medicine.disease ,Médecine vétérinaire et santé animal ,Infectious disease (medical specialty) ,Amniotes ,Veterinary Science ,Cattle ,Preventive Medicine ,People and places - Abstract
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
- Published
- 2019
50. Spatial analysis of lumpy skin disease in Eurasia - Predicting areas at risk for further spread within the region
- Author
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Jordi Casal, Alberto Allepuz, Daniel Beltran-Alcrudo, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
- Subjects
Asia ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Lumpy Skin Disease ,Land cover ,Culling ,Risk Assessment ,Grassland ,Disease Outbreaks ,Shrubland ,Odds ,0403 veterinary science ,03 medical and health sciences ,Lumpy skin disease ,medicine ,Animals ,030304 developmental biology ,Spatial Analysis ,0303 health sciences ,geography ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,General Veterinary ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,Vaccination ,Outbreak ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,General Medicine ,medicine.disease ,Europe ,Lumpy skin disease virus ,Cattle ,Risk assessment ,Demography - Abstract
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
- Published
- 2018
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