Abstract
Early detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in its natural reservoirs is a prerequisite for preventing disease spread to humans. The risk of introduction of H5N1 HPAI was assessed in order to design a risk-based surveillance system in Spain. Areas at highest risk for H5N1 HPAI followed a northeast-southwest direction, with two significant clusters located in the north and the southwest of the country. Most (83%) of the veterinary units (VUs) obtained fewer samples than would have been expected if samples had been collected using a risk-based design. In October 2009, a HPAI outbreak was reported for the first time in a Spanish layer farm located in a VU at high risk for HPAI, but no samples were collected. This risk-based surveillance approach will increase the cost-effectiveness of HPAI surveillance in Spain and can be easily extended to and adopted by other countries and regions throughout the world.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 91-98 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Epidemiology and infection |
Volume | 139 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2011 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Avian flu
- risk assessment
- spatial modelling
- surveillance system
- veterinary epidemiology