Pilot study assessing the possible benefits of a higher level of implementation of biosecurity measures on farm productivity and health status in Belgian cattle farms

Over the last few years, the interest of decision‐makers and control agencies in biosecurity (BS), aiming at preventing and controlling the introduction and spread of infectious diseases, has considerably increased. Nevertheless, previous studies highlighted a low implementation level of biosecurity measures (BSM), especially in cattle farms; different reasons were identified such as perceived costs, utility, importance, increased workload and lack of knowledge. In order to convince cattle farmers to adopt BSM, it is necessary to gather more information and evidence on their cost‐effectiveness and their importance or utility in terms of disease prevention and control. The objectives of this study were to determine whether the farm or farmers’ profile correlated with the implementation level of BSM and if there was a positive correlation between the BSM implementation and the farm production and health parameters. Data were collected through face‐to‐face interviews conducted in 100 Belgian farms as part of a stratified and randomized survey. The Regional Animal Health Services provided the farm health status and production data. A general BS score and five sub‐scores related to the five BS compartments (bio‐exclusion, bio‐compartmentation, bio‐containment, bio‐prevention and bio‐preservation) were calculated for each farm based on the implementation level of different BSM grouped in 16 domains. The study highlighted a significant and negative correlation between the mortality rates in adult cattle (over 24 months of age) and young calves (aged 0–7 days) and different BS compartment scores. The study also demonstrated that the farms having a higher general BS score were indeed more likely to have a BVD‐free status. These evidence‐based findings are encouraging as they demonstrate the benefits of implementing BSM and could promote their adoption by farmers.     

Comparison of Web‐Based Biosecurity Intelligence Systems: BioCaster,EpiSPIDER and HealthMap

Three web‐based biosecurity intelligence systems – BioCaster, EpiSPIDER and HealthMap – are compared with respect to their ability to gather and analyse information relevant to public health. Reports from each system for the period 2–30 August 2010 were studied. The systems were compared to the volume of information that they acquired, their overlaps in this information, their timeliness, their sources, their focus on different languages and their focus on different geographical regions. Main results were as follows: EpiSPIDER obtains the most information and does so mainly through Twitter; no significant difference in systems’ timeliness was found; there is a relatively small overlap between the systems (10–20%); the systems have significant differences in their ability to acquire information relevant to different countries, which may be due to the sources they use and the languages they focus on.     

Improvement in Smallholder Farmer Knowledge of Cattle Production,Health and Biosecurity in Southern Cambodia between 2008 and 2010

Farmer knowledge surveys were conducted in 2008 and 2010 in Cambodia to evaluate the impact of a research project studying interventions that can improve cattle production and health, including biosecurity and practices relating to risks of transmission of transboundary diseases. The project hypothesis is that by increasing the value of smallholder‐owned large ruminants through nutritional interventions and improved marketing, knowledge‐based interventions including risk management for infectious diseases such as foot‐and‐mouth disease (FMD) can be implemented into a more sustainable pathway for rural development. Between 2008 and 2010, significant improvements in farmer knowledge and attitudes were recorded in three villages in three provinces of southern Cambodia. This was achieved through participatory ‘applied field research’, ‘on the job’ training plus ‘formal’ training programmes. No cases of FMD were recorded during the study period in the ‘high‐intervention’ (HI) villages despite the common occurrence of the disease in a nearby ‘low‐intervention’ and many other villages in the three provinces. Whilst it is likely that protection of these villages from FMD infection was from increasing the herd immunity by vaccination, it could also have been partly because of a decrease in risk behaviours by farmers as a result of their increasing knowledge of biosecurity. The research indicates that smallholder farmers are motivated by nutritional interventions that improve the value of their cattle ‘bank’ and offer better marketing opportunities. This provides a more receptive environment for introduction of disease risk management for infectious and other production limiting diseases, best implemented for smallholder farmers in Cambodia by intensive training programmes. In lieu of a widespread public awareness programme to deliver mass education of smallholder farmers in disease prevention and biosecurity, livestock development projects in South‐East Asia should be encouraged to include training in disease risk management as an important intervention if the current momentum for trade in large ruminant livestock and large ruminant meat is to continue to progress and contribute to addressing global food security concerns.     

Assessment of Farmer Knowledge of Large Ruminant Health and Production in Developing Village‐Level Biosecurity in Northern Lao PDR

The purpose of this study was to determine baseline knowledge and identify knowledge gaps of farmers on biosecurity, risk of transmission of transboundary diseases and large ruminant health and production in three provinces of northern Laos, Hua Phan (HP), Luang Prabang (LPB) and Xieng Khoung (XK). The survey was conducted in six villages that are project sites for an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) project, with two villages located in each of the three provinces. A census survey was conducted by interview with all 238 farmers participating in the ACIAR project, using a structured questionnaire. The interviews were conducted in Lao language and took 1–2 h per farmer. The answers were recorded in Lao and the survey data were translated into English and transcribed into Microsoft Excel, and a linear mixed model in the Genstat statistical analysis package was used to compare quantitative traits between the target provinces. The results showed that the prediction mean of farmer knowledge scores on parasitic disorders, infectious disease, reproduction and nutrition management were significantly different between the target provinces. The prediction mean of farmer knowledge scores on infectious disease questions ranged between 5.11 in HP to 8.54 in XK of 24 marks (P < 0.001). The prediction mean of total knowledge scores was 13.48 in LPB and 19.29 in XK of 42 marks (P < 0.001). The results indicate both the need for and scope required to attain improvements in farmer knowledge of large ruminant health and production. It was concluded that a participatory research and extension programme to address village‐level biosecurity and reduce disease risks, plus enhance large ruminant production capabilities of smallholder producers, is a valid and potentially important strategy to address transboundary disease risk and rural poverty in northern Laos.     

Prevalence and risk factors analysis of bovine tuberculosis in cattle raised in mixed crop‐livestock farming system in Tigray region,Ethiopia

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is a disease of animal and public health importance in developing countries. In rural Ethiopia, there is potential for a shift in the epidemiologic of this disease driven by transformation of dairy industry. This includes gradual change from the traditional mixed crop‐livestock husbandry practice to a semi‐intensification system. It is therefore, essential to document the prevalence and risk factors of BTB to continuously update the designing and implementation of control and prevention strategies. Here, we present findings of a cross‐sectional study on the prevalence and associated risk factors of BTB among cattle reared under mixed crop‐livestock farming system in Tigray region, Ethiopia. A multistage purposive sampling approach was used to select districts, villages, herds and individual cattle. A total of 1,357 cattle from 310 herds were examined for BTB infection using a comparative intradermal tuberculin skin test (CIDT). Questionnaires were used to gather data on herd structure and herd management practices. A multilevel logistic mixed effect model was used to determine risk factors after accounting for clustering effect at three levels (village, herd and individual animal). Overall prevalence of BTB was 4.3% (95% CI = 3.4–5.6), with the highest prevalence recorded in Alamata district (5.6%) and lowest in Korem (1.6%). Multilevel logistic mixed effect model analysis identified exotic breed (OR = 3, p = 0.014), closed barn (OR = 2.6, p = 0.018), large herd size (OR = 2.6, p = 0.05) and purchase of cattle (OR = 2.1, p = 0.027) as important risk factors for BTB. Taken together, these findings suggest that the current dairy development program centred on the introduction of exotic and or crossed animals could have contributed to changing epidemiological situations of BTB in the study area.     

Breast cancer: knowledge, attitudes, and practices of female schoolteachers in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract: This article examines the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of female schoolteachers concerning breast cancer. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 200 schoolteachers randomly selected from 12 schools in Lagos, Nigeria. A self-administered questionnaire was used to investigate their knowledge about the symptoms of breast cancer, methods of diagnosis, risk factors, and breast self-examination. A response rate of 94% (188 respondents) was achieved. Eighty-five percent knew breast cancer was a serious disease, but only 53.2% knew that a breast lump was the most commonly recognized sign. Other symptoms were even less well known. Only 13.8% knew the methods of diagnosis, and knowledge of risk factors was also poor. Breast self-examination was practiced by 62% of respondents; 11% practiced it on a monthly basis, but only 25% were deemed to possess sufficient knowledge about the procedure. One-quarter of participants were categorized as possessing a satisfactory knowledge of breast cancer. The level of awareness on breast cancer is very low among this group of female schoolteachers.     

Review of transmission routes of 24 infectious diseases preventable by biosecurity measures and comparison of the implementation of these measures in pig herds in six European countries

This study aimed to review the transmission routes of important infectious pig diseases and to translate these into biosecurity measures preventing or reducing the transmission between and within pig herds. Furthermore, it aimed to identify the level of implementation of these measures in different European countries and discuss the observed variations to identify potentials for improvement. First, a literature review was performed to show which direct and indirect transmission routes of 24 infectious pig diseases can be prevented through different biosecurity measures. Second, a quantitative analysis was performed using the Biocheck.UG ent™, a risk‐based scoring system to evaluate biosecurity in pig herds, to obtain an insight into the implementation of these biosecurity measures. The database contained farm‐specific biosecurity data from 574 pig farms in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, entered between January 2014 and January 2016. Third, a qualitative analysis based on a review of literature and other relevant information resources was performed for every subcategory of internal and external biosecurity in the Biocheck.UG ent™ questionnaire. The quantitative analysis indicated that at the level of internal, external and overall biosecurity, Denmark had a significantly distinct profile with higher external biosecurity scores and less variation than the rest of the countries. This is likely due to a widely used specific pathogen‐free (SPF ) system with extensive focus on biosecurity since 1971 in Denmark. However, the observed pattern may also be attributed to differences in data collection methods. The qualitative analysis identified differences in applied policies, legislation, disease status, pig farm density, farming culture and habits between countries that can be used for shaping country‐specific biosecurity advice to attain improved prevention and control of important pig diseases in European pig farms.     

Biosecurity and Circulation of Influenza A (H5N1) Virus in Live‐Bird Markets in Bangladesh, 2012

Bangladesh has been considered as one of the five countries endemic with highly pathogenic avian influenza A subtype H5N1 (HPAI H5N1). Live‐bird markets (LBMs) in south Asian countries are believed to play important roles in the transmission of HPAI H5N1 and others due to its central location as a hub of the poultry trading. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has been promoting improved biosecurity in LBMs in Bangladesh. In 2012, by enrolling 32 large LBMs: 10 with FAO interventions and 22 without assistance, we assessed the virus circulation in the selected LBMs by applying standard procedures to investigate market floors, poultry stall floors, poultry‐holding cases and slaughter areas and the overall biosecurity using a questionnaire‐based survey. Relative risk (RR) was examined to compare the prevalence of HPAI H5N1 in the intervened and non‐intervened LBMs. The measures practised in significantly more of the FAO‐intervened LBMs included keeping of slaughter remnants in a closed container; decontamination of poultry vehicles at market place; prevention of crows’ access to LBM, market/floor cleaning by market committee; wet cleaning; disinfection of floor/poultry stall after cleaning; and good supply of clean water at market (P < 0.05). Conversely, disposal of slaughter remnants elsewhere at market and dry cleaning were in operation in more of the FAO non‐intervened LBMs (P < 0.05). The RR for HPAI H5N1 in the intervened and non‐intervened LBMs was 1.1 (95% confidence interval 0.44–2.76), suggesting that the proportion positive of the virus in the two kinds of LBM did not vary significantly (P = 0.413). These observations suggest that the viruses are still maintained at the level of production in farms and circulating in LBMs in Bangladesh regardless of interventions, albeit at lower levels than in other endemic countries.     

护士对ICU谵妄知信行现状调查

目的了解护士对ICU谵妄(DICU)的认知程度、应对态度及行为状况,为制定DICU的行为干预提供参考。方法采用自行设计DICU知信行问卷调查表对103名ICU护士进行调查。结果在DICU相关知识方面,掌握DICU的定义、表现、危险因素及处理措施的ICU护士占78.64%、78.64%、73.79%、75.73%,掌握DICU的危害、诊断和监测者占34.96%和36.90%;在对待DICU的态度方面,认为对DICU感兴趣并且应该去学习和掌握DICU指南的ICU护士占79.61%、84.47%、80.58%,认为应该接受正规培训、识别DICU者占79.61%和69.90%;在DICU行为方面,工作中经常关注、评价和记录DICU者占84.47%、79.61%、68.93%,向医生反馈患者的精神状态、在工作中不断积累相关知识者占79.61和75.73%。结论护士DICU相关知识掌握不全,但愿意主动学习并承担DICU的识别工作,工作中也经常关注DICU并向医生汇报;应加强对ICU护士DICU相关知识的系统培训,提高DICU的早期识别率。     

Circulation of bluetongue virus 8 in French cattle,before and after the re‐emergence in 2015

Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV ‐8) re‐emerged in Central France in August 2015. The viral strain identified is nearly identical to the one that circulated during the 2006/2009 massive outbreak throughout Europe. To address the question of an undetected BTV ‐8 circulation on the French territory, a serological study was conducted on young cattle along a transect of seven departments, three of them located in areas where the virus presence had been confirmed by RT ‐PCR by winter 2015/2016. Sera from 2,565 animals were collected during the winters preceding and following the re‐emergence, with 414 animals being sampled in each of the two consecutive years. All samples were tested by competitive ELISA (IDV et) and, when enough serum was available, ELISA ‐positive samples were confirmed by seroneutralization tests. In areas with infected holdings, seropositive animals were found before the re‐emergence (N  = 14 of 511), significantly more on the following year (N  = 17 of 257), and eight animals (N  = 158) seroconverted over 2015. Seropositive animals were also detected as early as winter 2014/2015 in one department without known infected holdings (N  = 12 of 150), and in winter 2015/2016 in three of them (N  = 21 of 555), where seven animals (N  = 154) seroconverted over 2015. These results suggest that BTV ‐8 may have spread at low levels before the re‐emergence, even in areas considered virus‐free. Unfortunately, whole blood from the seropositive animals was not available to definitely confirm the virus presence by RT ‐PCR .     

Facilitators & barriers and practices of early mobilization in critically ill burn patients: A survey

BackgroundEarly mobilization (EM) of intensive care (IC) patients is important but complex with facilitators and barriers. Compared to general IC patients, burn IC patients are more hyper-metabolic. They have extensive wounds, lengthy wound dressing changes, and repeated surgeries that may affect possibilities of EM. This study aimed to identify facilitators and barriers of EM in burn IC patients among all disciplines involved. Additionally, we assessed EM practices, i.e. when are which patients considered suitable for EM.MethodsA survey was sent to 139 professionals involved in EM of burn IC patients (discipline groups: Intensivists, medical doctors, registered nurses, therapists).ResultsResponse rate was 57 %. The majority found EM very important, yet different definitions were chosen. Perceived barriers mainly concerned patient-level factors, most frequently hemodynamic instability and excessive sedation followed by skin graft surgery, fatigue, and pain management. Most frequent barriers at the provider-level were limited staffing, safety concerns, and conflicting perceptions about the suitability of EM. At the institutional-level, we found no high barriers. Interdisciplinary variation on perceived barriers, when to initiate it, and permitted maximal activity were ascertained.ConclusionSkin grafts and pain management were barriers of EM specific for burn care. Opinions on frequency, dosage and duration of EM varied widely. Improving interdisciplinary communication is key.     

Molecular survey and genetic characterization of Anaplasma centrale,A. marginale and A. bovis in cattle from Algeria

Bovine anaplasmosis could be caused by several Anaplasma species. The causative agents are transmitted by ticks and haematophagous arthropods with a high impact on both human and animal health. This study was conducted to estimate the infection rate and to characterize Anaplasma spp. in cattle from Algeria. A molecular survey was performed in Setif district (Northeast Algeria) where a total number of 180 cattle blood samples were collected and tested for the presence of Anaplasma spp. by PCR . Positive samples were genetically characterized based on the 16S rRNA and msp4 genes. PCR s revealed that the infection rates of Anaplasma spp., Anaplasma centrale , Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma bovis were 42.2%; 39.4%; 11.1% and 4.4%, respectively. All tested animals were negative for A. phagocytophilum . Co‐infection occurred in 10% (18/180) of the tested animals, and the most common co‐infection pattern was an association between A. centrale and A. marginale (5.5%). Five cattle (2.7%) were co‐infected by the three Anaplasma species. Holstein animals (58.1%) were more infected by A. centrale than the other breeds (p  = .01). The molecular prevalence of A. centrale was significantly higher in males (54.2%) than in females (34.1%) (p  = .001). A. marginale msp4 genetic analysis indicated a high sequence diversity of Algerian strains, suggesting the importation of live cattle from different origins. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene of A. bovis and A. centrale revealed a low degree of genetic diversity. Our study suggests that different species of Anaplasma are simultaneously present in the Algerian cattle. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first molecular study and genetic characterization of Anaplasma spp. in Algerian cattle.     

Presumptive BSE cases with an aberrant prion protein phenotype in Switzerland, 2011: Lack of prion disease in experimentally inoculated cattle and bovine prion protein transgenic mice

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE ) is caused by different prion strains that are discriminated by the molecular characteristics of the pathological prion protein. In 2011, Switzerland reported two presumptive cases of BSE in cattle with a prion protein phenotype different from previously described strains, and it was unclear whether these findings were related to a transmissible disease and have implications on animal and public health. In this study, brain tissues of these cases were inoculated into transgenic mice expressing the bovine prion protein (BoPrP‐Tg110) and into cattle. Clinical and pathological investigations as well as molecular testing did not provide evidence for the presence of BSE in the Swiss cases after two passages in BoPrP‐Tg110 mice and a challenge period of 3.5 years in cattle. This lack of disease transmission suggests that the Swiss 2011 cases were not affected by a prion disease and were unrelated to the feed‐born BSE epidemic.     

Knowledge,attitudes, and practices associated with avian influenza along the live chicken market chains in Eastern China: A cross‐sectional survey in Shanghai,Anhui, and Jiangsu

The avian influenza (AI) virus of the H7N9 subtype emerged in China in 2013. Live bird markets (LBMs) selling live meat chickens were indicated to present a high‐risk of the virus dissemination. This study aimed to quantify the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) on AI and to measure the associated risk factors among different actors along the live chicken market chain within H7N9‐affected Eastern provinces in China. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted in these provinces from June to July 2014. Structured questionnaires about KAP on AI were delivered to chicken farmers, chicken vendors, and consumers in LBMs. Multivariable generalized least squares regression models were developed to identify predictors of KAP scores among different actors. Our results indicate that KAP scores of chicken farmers were generally higher than those of chicken vendors. Chicken farmers who worked for more than 15 years had significantly lower total KAP scores than those who worked for less than 6 years. Chicken farmers who worked more than 15 hrs in a day had significantly lower attitude scores than those who worked less than 6 hrs. For chicken vendors, females and individuals > 35 years old had significantly lower knowledge scores compared to the reference categories. Practice scores were significantly higher in female vendors and those vendors who also conducted slaughter compared to males and vendors who did not conduct slaughter. Consumers who bought chicken at least once every month had better risk awareness compared to those who bought chicken at least once every week. In addition, female consumers had significantly better practice scores than male consumers. In conclusion, risk‐based health promotion interventions should be developed and implemented by animal health agencies (targeting farmers and vendors) and public health agencies (targeting frequent and male consumers) to prevent transmission of H7N9 along the market chain in China.     

Tuberculosis,Brucellosis and Leucosis in Cattle: A Cost Description of Eradication Programmes in the Region of Lazio,Italy

The eradication of tuberculosis, brucellosis and leucosis in cattle has not yet been achieved in the entire Italian territory. The region of Lazio, Central Italy, represents an interesting case study to evaluate the evolution of costs for these eradication programmes, as in some provinces the eradication has been officially achieved, in some others the prevalence has been close to zero for years, and in still others disease outbreaks have been continuously reported. The objectives of this study were i) to describe the costs for the eradication programmes for tuberculosis, brucellosis and leucosis in cattle carried out in Lazio between 2007 and 2011, ii) to calculate the ratio between the financial contribution of the European Union (EU) for the eradication programmes and the estimated total costs and iii) to estimate the potential savings that can be made when a province gains the certification of freedom from disease. For the i) and ii) objectives, data were collected from official sources and a costing procedure was applied from the perspective of the Regional Health Service. For the iii) objective, a Bayesian AR(1) regression was used to evaluate the average percentage reduction in costs for a province that gained the certification. The total cost for the eradication programmes adjusted for inflation to 1 January 2016 was estimated at 18 919 797 euro (5th and 95th percentiles of the distribution: 18 325 050–19 552 080 euro). When a province gained the certification of freedom from disease, costs decreased on average by (median of the posterior distribution) 47.5%, 54.5% and 54.9% for the eradication programmes of tuberculosis, brucellosis and leucosis, respectively. Information on possible savings from the reduction of control costs can help policy makers operating under budget constraints to justify the use of additional resources for the final phase of eradication.     

Vulnerability of Animal Trade Networks to The Spread of Infectious Diseases: A Methodological Approach Applied to Evaluation and Emergency Control Strategies in Cattle,France, 2005

Besides farming, trade of livestock is a major component of agricultural economy. However, the networks generated by live animal movements are the major support for the propagation of infectious agents between farms, and their structure strongly affects how fast a disease may spread. Structural characteristics may thus be indicators of network vulnerability to the spread of infectious disease. The method proposed here is based upon the analysis of specific subnetworks: the giant strongly connected components (GSCs). Their existence, size and geographic extent are used to assess network vulnerability. Their disappearance when targeted nodes are removed allows studying how network vulnerability may be controlled under emergency conditions. The method was applied to the cattle trade network in France, 2005. Giant strongly connected components were present and widely spread all over the country in yearly, monthly and weekly networks. Among several tested approaches, the most efficient way to make GSCs disappear was based on the ranking of nodes by decreasing betweenness centrality (the proportion of shortest paths between nodes on which a specific node lies). Giant strongly connected components disappearance was obtained after removal of <1% of network nodes. Under emergency conditions, suspending animal trade activities in a small subset of holdings may thus allow to control the spread of an infectious disease through the animal trade network. Nodes representing markets and dealers were widely affected by these simulated control measures. This confirms their importance as ‘hubs’ for infectious diseases spread. Besides emergency conditions, specific sensitization and preventive measures should be dedicated to this population.