National Animal Health Surveillance System Outlook
Issue 15, July 2007
The NAHSS Outlook is an electronic communication with information about the National Animal Health Surveillance System (NAHSS) that is distributed via email to all members of Veterinary Services. Contact the National Surveillance Unit to provide comments and suggestions for future topics.
Articles in This Issue:
- Spatial Analysis Studies Wildlife-Bovine TB Connection to Molokau Island
- NAHMS to Launch Beef Study
- VS Moves Toward New Data Collection Strategy: AHSM
- NAHLN Enhances Early Detection Efforts
Click here for updates on arboviral reporting for 2007, the vector-borne disease workshop, the Rift Valley Fever group meeting, and the NAHSS update featured in the USAHA proceedings.
Spatial Analysis Studies Wildlife-Bovine TB Connection to Molokau Island
A collaborative VS study looked at the possible role of wildlife in transmission of bovine tuberculosis on Molokai Island, Hawaii. The study highlighted the value of incorporating geospatial methods in a surveillance design, then combining data collection with an ongoing spatial analysis to better understand the ecology of the disease and the potential wildlife-bovine tuberculosis connection. Continue this article.
The National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) will launch a national study of the U.S. beef cow-calf industry this fall. Beef 2007-08 marks the first time in 10 years that NAHMS has taken an in-depth look at this sector. Among other things, the study will look at trends in cow-calf health and management practices, recordkeeping practices, producer awareness of bovine viral diarrhea virus, and biosecurity measures. Read more.
VS Moves Toward New Data Collection Strategy: AHSM
Veterinary Services is moving to establish its newest data system, the Animal Health and Surveillance Management (AHSM) system. Development of the system requires support for two differing objectives. Government standards and stakeholder groups demand increased data security, while animal health program areas demand greater flexibility for VS reporting requirements and data analysis. AHSM is being designed as a modular Web-based system to assist animal health officials to more easily manage their animal health programs. More on AHSM.
NAHLN Enhances Early Detection Efforts
The National Animal Health Laboratories Network (NAHLN) was established as part of a national strategy to coordinate and network the diagnostic testing capacities of the Federal veterinary diagnostic laboratories with the infrastructure of State and university veterinary diagnostic laboratories. Since its inception, the NAHLN has expanded its surveillance, training, proficiency testing, and quality assurance efforts in numerous ways. Read more about the NAHLN here.