22 research outputs found
Global knowledge gaps in the prevention and control of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) virus
No full textThe significant economic impacts of bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) virus have prompted many countries worldwide to embark on regional or national BVD eradication programmes. Unlike other infectious diseases, BVD control is highly feasible in cattle production systems because the pathogenesis is well understood and there are effective tools to break the disease transmission cycle at the farm and industry levels. Coordinated control approaches typically involve directly testing populations for virus or serological screening of cattle herds to identify those with recent exposure to BVD, testing individual animals within affected herds to identify and eliminate persistently infected (PI) cattle, and implementing biosecurity measures such as double-fencing shared farm boundaries, vaccinating susceptible breeding cattle, improving visitor and equipment hygiene practices, and maintaining closed herds to prevent further disease transmission. As highlighted by the recent DISCONTOOLS review conducted by a panel of internationally recognized experts, knowledge gaps in the control measures are primarily centred around the practical application of existing tools rather than the need for creation of new tools. Further research is required to: (a) determine the most cost effective and socially acceptable means of applying BVD control measures in different cattle production systems; (b) identify the most effective ways to build widespread support for implementing BVD control measures from the bottom-up through farmer engagement and from the top-down through national policy; and (c) to develop strategies to prevent the reintroduction of BVD into disease-free regions by managing the risks associated with the movements of animals, personnel and equipment. Stronger collaboration between epidemiologists, economists and social scientists will be essential for progressing efforts to eradicate BVD from more countries worldwide
Optimization algorithms vs. random sampling of entry sources for a deliberate food contamination
No full textWe focus on a deliberate scenario, where milk producers are used as entry sources for a contamination and where milk consumers are the target of the attack. The aim of this study is to demonstrate how the size of damage differs dependent on the use of an optimization algorithm or a random selection of entry sources. The results indicate that with a random selection of entry sources the same results can be provided with respect to the number of consumers reached, as with the application of the greedy algorithm. However, it should be also noted that with random selection of entry sources there is also a possibility of selecting milk producers, which would not reach any consumer with the hypothetical contaminated milk. The résumé is that by using the greedy algorithm always the "best" suited milk producers will be selected for a maximum spread of contaminated milk in our model. Risk managers can use these results in order to select the sources of entry in a time-and resource efficient manner
Determine the room for improvement of processes within the management of crisis and their prevention – the maturity mode
No full textCrisis within the meat sector usually causes high economic losses for the affected sector and frequently for other sectors, too. Interrupted or poor communication channels are weak points in management-systems, especially in the management of crisis situations or of the prevention of crisis. In a consequence necessary information for a proper decision making is missing or not available in time.</p
Impact of Network Activity on the Spread of Infectious Diseases through the German Pig Trade Network
No full textThe trade of livestock is an important and growing economic sector, but it is also a major factor in the spread of diseases. The spreading of diseases in a trade network is likely to be influenced by how often existing trade connections are active. The activity α is defined as the mean frequency of occurrences of existing trade links, thus 0 < α ≤ 1. The observed German pig trade network had an activity of α = 0.11, thus each existing trade connection between two farms was, on average, active at about 10% of the time during the observation period 2008–2009. The aim of this study is to analyze how changes in the activity level of the German pig trade network influence the probability of disease outbreaks, size, and duration of epidemics for different disease transmission probabilities. Thus, we want to investigate the question, whether it makes a difference for a hypothetical spread of an animal disease to transport many animals at the same time or few animals at many times. A SIR model was used to simulate the spread of a disease within the German pig trade network. Our results show that for transmission probabilities <1, the outbreak probability increases in the case of a decreased frequency of animal transports, peaking range of α from 0.05 to 0.1. However, for the final outbreak size, we find that a threshold exists such that finite outbreaks occur only above a critical value of α, which is ~0.1, and therefore in proximity of the observed activity level. Thus, although the outbreak probability increased when decreasing α, these outbreaks affect only a small number of farms. The duration of the epidemic peaks at an activity level in the range of α = 0.2–0.3. Additionally, the results of our simulations show that even small changes in the activity level of the German pig trade network would have dramatic effects on outbreak probability, outbreak size, and epidemic duration. Thus, we can conclude and recommend that the network activity is an important aspect, which should be taken into account when modeling the spread of diseases within trade networks
The trade network in the dairy industry and its implication for the spread of contamination
No full textIn case of an outbreak of a foodborne disease, administrative decisions in the context of crisis management are only efficient if they follow standard practices and are specifically adapted to the outbreak situation in a timely manner. These goals are hard to achieve. The complexity of national and global trade structures obscures a clear view of trade flows and, consequently, it is often impossible to unravel complex trade links quickly. Furthermore, increasing public concerns about possible health hazards caused by global trade put additional pressure on decision makers. The aim of this paper was to unveil the specific trade structures of the German milk supply chain, to highlight how these structures could affect the spatial spread of a hypothetical contaminant, and to quantify the risk of the contaminant reaching the consumer. To achieve this goal, the vertical and horizontal trade links between milk producers, dairies, and consumers were taken into account. The horizontal flow of milk between dairies (inter-dairy trade), which is intended to compensate a temporary over- or undersupply of milk, is of special importance in this respect. We hypothesized that the extent of inter-dairy trade would significantly influence the spatial spread of contaminated milk and the contamination risk. This hypothesis was tested using a computer simulation model that predicts the hypothetical spread of a contaminant via trade of milk. The model parameters were estimated using trade data collected in 2004 and 2010. The results of our study indicate that inter-dairy trade significantly influenced the contamination risk. Compared with a scenario with no inter-dairy trade, the risk that contaminated milk will reach the consumer was up to 4 times higher, even with moderate inter-dairy trade. The contamination risk depended on the extent of inter-dairy trade in a nonlinear way and reached its maximum asymptotically when inter-dairy trade increased. The contamination risk exhibited considerable spatial variation, which could be utilized to implement more accurate food control interventions in times of crisis caused by a foodborne disease
Improved risk-based strategies for disease management in the pig production chain
No full textTo minimize financial losses in times of crisis, it is necessary to prove methods of maintaining trade in a case of disease. This work shows that the identification of modules and clusters could be of high relevance if these clusters impede disease spread or if so-called Ad hoc-connector-points serving as routes of transmission between clusters could be identified. Furthermore the advantages of a risk-based selection of critical control points for surveillance or monitoring can be shown. This work provides new approaches to review and possibly optimize existing disease prevention and control strategies.</p
The German milky way: trade structure of the milk industry and possible consequences of a food crisis
No full textThe aim of this paper is to analyze the structure of the trade network between milk producers, dairies and milk collection companies in Germany through a network analysis using suitable centrality measures. The study shows that structures exist among the relevant enterprises which are critical for the spread of a contamination in the German milk trade network. The results may be used to improve food security
MEASURING THE COSTS OF FOODBORNE DISEASES: A REVIEW AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE LITERATURE
No full textThe food scandals and foodborne disease outbreaks in recent years have increased the demand
for food safety and have led policy makers once more to tighten the safety regulations in the food
supply chain. Obviously, an adequate balance between the costs of foodborne diseases and the
costs and benefits of improved food safety is not static but time-varying and depends very much on
specific situations. Given the complexity of an economic assessment of food safety, it is not
surprising that the literature in this field mainly analyses particular stages but not the complete
food supply chain from the farm to the consumer. This paper focuses on the costs of foodborne
diseases and aims to review and classify the existing literature along a set of certain evaluation
criteria. Our main findings are that most studies so far have been conducted in the USA and the
UK. The reviewed studies consider mainly the consumption level of the supply chain, focus
on tangible costs, examine budgetary costs and costs of individuals, and make use of the cost-of-illness approach
Economic comparison of the monitoring programmes for bluetongue vectors in Austria and Switzerland
No full textA cost-benefit analysis and the potential trade effects of the bovine viral diarrhoea eradication programme in Styria, Austria
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