Research Projects

Professor Richard Whittington
Dr Jenny-Ann Toribio
Dr Nick Malikides
Ms Hannah Forsyth

Mrs Anna Waldron

Ms Marion Saddington

In 1999 the gross value of Australian livestock production was $13.4bn of which $11.5bn came from exports. The Australian economy and the rural sector depend on this trade, which is based on efficient production, marketing, quality assurance and access to major markets in the developed world. Most of these markets have a favourable status for the major epidemic diseases of livestock. Compared to many competitors, Australia enjoys privileged access due to the historical absence of important livestock diseases.

This project was undertaken because a critical shortage of the skills required by the livestock industries is looming. The loss of animal health laboratories, trained livestock health specialists, together with the loss of government employed district veterinary officers and epidemiologists, has dramatically weakened the national defences against disease incursions, threats to product integrity and market access.

The aim of this project was to establish a new teaching and research unit in the Faculty of Veterinary Science. Research and training programs in epidemiology, disease surveillance, pathobiology and food safety were developed and delivered to postgraduate and undergraduate students. A new post graduate degree program in Veterinary Public Health Management commenced. Ties were established with overseas universities to enable future development of joint teaching and research programs. Staff from the unit are active in the research community, in industry groups and the media, ensuring wide communication of research results. Staff work together with stakeholders in the livestock sector to promote the benefits of the research programs. This MLA project has led to immediate benefits for industry, and many of these will endure into the long term: undergraduate veterinary students are better equipped to enter rural veterinary practice; graduates working in animal health now have a flexible post graduate coursework program to learn skills in epidemiology and public health for immediate application; a steady stream of young post graduates is becoming available to fill retirement positions; young post doctoral fellows and PhD research students have greater opportunity to work on real world problems and provide service longer term to the livestock sector; significant critical mass now exists to conduct research on priority livestock health issues.

Professor Kym Abbott, Charles Sturt University

Novatis Australia Ltd

Merial Australia Pty Ltd

Sheep were exposed to different levels of M ptb, from birth to weaning and/or from weaning onwards. The different levels of exposure were high (H), medium (M) and low (L) with the level of exposure in the H groups about 10 times higher than in the M groups. The L groups were not deliberately exposed to M ptb but accidental contamination at very low levels did occur. The experiment was replicated.

The study demonstrated that careful management of young sheep can reduce the level of OJD in the flock and reduce the death rate. Steps taken to limit the degree of exposure of pre-weaned lambs to infection from pastures will lead to reduced rates of severe infection in those sheep in later years. Continuous exposure to OJD bacteria throughout early life results in higher infection rates than exposure which is limited to either the pre-weaning or the post-weaning period alone. A critical factor in management is to provide ‘low risk’ pastures to young sheep at weaning to give them a break from exposure to infection which occurs in the lambing paddocks.

Producers who successfully limit the infection will find themselves in an improved position. Additionally, by using the library of samples collected during the experiment, many more insights will be gained into the epidemiology of OJD, including the relationship between age at first exposure and the time before excretion of the organism, seroconversion, sub-clinical disease effects, clinical disease and death. These insights may allow the development of additional management options and systems which restrict the impact of OJD in flocks and will also improve the overall understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease, interpretation of existing and new diagnostic tests and the value of emerging research tools.

Vaccination with Gudair® vaccine in OJD infected flocks has commenced in Australia. To date, use of vaccine has been recommended to be limited to lambs in an attempt to protect sheep before OJD pathology becomes advanced. As vaccination is considered by many graziers to be their best option for reducing losses and managing the disease, careful documentation of the effects of vaccination in a high prevalence infected flock and in older sheep will enhance knowledge and understanding of the benefits of the whole-flock vaccination strategy.

The proprietors of a farm reported a very high mortality believed to be due to OJD. Early estimates suggested that 25% of the flock had died in 1999. A preliminary investigation by The University of Sydney supported the owner’s initial suspicion, with post mortem findings suggesting an annual mortality rate of 18.1% (+/- 12%). Vaccination of all sheep was favoured as the quickest way to reduce the OJD-contamination of pastures, the incidence of OJD and the death rate due to OJD.

The study concluded that vaccination combined with management changes led to a significant decline in the risk of OJD mortality and effective control of OJD in a heavily infected flock. Findings also suggested that vaccination may be beneficial in sheep as old as 8 months, even when exposed to a heavily contaminated environment since lambing.

This information will have immediate application to a large number of affected producers in NSW who have chosen or are considering vaccination as their major or initial method of OJD control.

This study provided the first estimate of flock mortality due to OJD based on objective data and was central to explaining the economic impact of OJD in high prevalence flocks. This information assisted development of rational control programmes.

Anecdotal reports of the extent of mortality due to ovine Johne’s disease ranged from less than 1% to over 20% of adult sheep per year, but there were no objective data. The aim of this study was to estimate the annual mortality rate due to OJD on twelve affected sheep flocks in four different regions of NSW using the methods developed in project OJD.015.

OJD mortality estimates were derived from farm records (livestock inventories) and quarterly farm visits (necropsy inspections). A most likely cause of death was determined for 362 sheep on the basis of findings related to the environment, clinical signs, gross pathology and histopathology. OJD was most likely to have contributed to the death of 250 of these sheep. OJD mortality increased from 1 year of age (10.4%) to peak at 4 years of age (35.6%) and was very similar between wethers (49.6%) and breeding ewes (50.4%).

On the 12 farms, the average OJD mortality rate based on inventory records was 6.2% (range 2.1% to 17.5%), more than twice that considered acceptable (from all causes) in sheep flocks in southern Australia. The OJD prevalence in 2-year old sheep based on pooled faecal culture ranged from 0.7% to > 23% on the 12 farms and was found to be associated with OJD mortality rate.

The average decrease in gross margin due to a farm being infected with OJD was 6.4% (range 2.2% to 15.4%) and the average estimated cost of OJD losses on the 12 farms over the 12- month study period was $64,100 ($15,569 to $154,083). The average estimated cost of annual OJD losses/DSE was $7.68 ($0.84 to $20.51) while annual OJD losses/ha were $65.92 ($6.75 to $244.80).

This study provided the first objective data on the true impact of OJD and the findings are generally applicable to sheep flocks in southern Australia. Industry groups claiming that OJD does not present a threat on-farm can now be provided with accurate figures on direct losses attributable to OJD within the endemic area of NSW. There was a wide range of impacts, with some very high mortality rates. The data can be used to justify vaccination programs, other control options and the general concept of disease control and prevention.

The challenge for industry is to use the scientific findings from this study and other recent research to prepare education and extension material to address issues of misinformation about OJD and to develop cost effective strategies for the future control and management of OJD.

The aim of this project was to determine whether pasture contamination rates and the age of sheep when they are first exposed to infection influence the occurrence of ovine Johne's disease. The outcomes were targeted to improve understanding of the development of OJD and will facilitate development of control strategies based on pasture management.

The principle conclusions from this study were that post-weaning lambs were highly susceptible to infection with M. paratuberculosis and if exposed to high levels of contamination a proportion will develop severe infection leading to clinical disease and death. Hoggets and adult ewes are less likely than lambs to develop clinical disease after exposure to M. paratuberculosis. Nevertheless, even adult ewes may become infected and later act as a source for transmission of the disease. Lateral spread of OJD is a serious threat; it is not necessary for infected sheep to be present in a paddock for transmission of infection to occur if infected sheep are present in neighbouring paddocks. Conventional wire strand fences do not prevent spread of infection. For diagnosis on a flock basis, pooled faecal culture is more effective than the agar gel immunodiffusion assay for detection of the infection at relatively early stages in young sheep. Pooled faecal culture detected infection in sheep only 6 months after first exposure to contaminated pasture, when they were 11 months of age.

Samples were stored from sheep in this project for later research, for example in project OJD.031. In addition, blood samples were provided regularly to CSIRO for validation of the gamma-interferon assay for diagnosis of OJD.

The results of this study will have immediate impact on the management and control of OJD as they provide objective data to support and extend current recommendations for livestock grazing management.

Ovine Johne's disease is a chronic and intractable problem. Spread of the disease has continued despite stringent regulatory measures, and in the absence of compensation for affected producers has led to severe division within the industry. Vaccination and risk-based trading have been accepted as an interim approach to limit further spread of the disease.

There is clearly an urgent need for better diagnostic tests. The main requirement is for a test that can detect infection in young sheep before the onset of faecal shedding. The test needs to be sensitive, specific, accurate, cost effective and able to distinguish an active infection from one that has died out. New automated technology platforms will be needed if tests are to have wide application in the sheep industries.

None of the work on OJD to date has included basic research. However, the need for this has been recognised and there are opportunities to take advantage of new technologies. Consequently the aims of this program are to research fundamental aspects of OJD including host-pathogen interactions at the cellular level. Protemics, genomics and advanced immunology techniques will be applied to in vivo and in vitro models to study the early stages of infection and contrast these with events later in the disease process. The aim is to discover new pathways for disease development and expression that can be exploited later for development of diagnostics, vaccines and chemotherapeutics.

The purpose of the project is to validate the widespread use of Gudair® vaccine for the reduction of bacterial shedding in medium/high prevalence flocks and the prevention of increased shedding in low prevalence flocks. The major outcome from the project will be to allow producers to predict the infectivity of flocks over time following the commencement of a vaccination program.

There is much producer interest, both at an individual and industry level, in the use of Gudair® vaccine to control the impact of OJD in flocks varying in disease prevalence from very low to very high. This project will observe changes over time in the prevalence of mycobacterial shedding following the commencement of a Gudair® vaccination program in flocks varying in initial OJD prevalence. Up to four flocks, each with high, medium or low OJD prevalence at the commencement of a vaccination program will be sampled over a six-year period to estimate changes in the prevalence of shedding as the proportion of vaccinates in the flock increases. The relevant industry questions being addressed in this project are as follows:

• how long will it take for a vaccination program to reduce Mptb shedding to a level where safe trade in low risk sheep can occur?
• can the disease be eradicated by long term vaccination?
• how effective will vaccination be in low prevalence flocks in the control zone?
• will vaccination prevent the increase in losses commonly seen in long term infected flocks?
• can healthy sheep be vaccinated on arrival at an infected property so that infection and shedding is prevented?

The level of clinical disease experienced due to ovine Johne's disease (OJD) appears to vary considerably between infected sheep flocks in Australia, even for flocks in the same locality that appear to have similar characteristics. This has led to considerable speculation about the potential importance of flock management, soil type, pH and micro-nutrients. Sound understanding about factors that influence disease expression will lead to management recommendations that improve on-farm disease control.

The aim of this project was to identify risk factors for OJD expression in infected flocks and improve the understanding of the epidemiology of the infection. The project consisted of a cross-sectional study on 92 infected properties located in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia. The information obtained from each included the OJD prevalence in specific groups of adult sheep measured using pooled faecal culture, details of farm and flock management and soil analyses from paddocks on which the sheep sampled had grazed.

A total of 31 significant farm/flock/management and soil variables were found. Some were likely to be a consequence of OJD infection, but the remainder appeared to be potential risk factors for the severity of the disease. There was a strong relationship between the PFC results and the duration of flock infection, the level of OJD mortality, dam stocking rates, as well as a relation with parent soil type. There was also a consistent but statistically non-significant trend for lower OJD levels in 4-year olds compared to 3-year olds, which may be due to deaths of affected sheep from 2 to 3 years of age. Wethers had significantly higher OJD levels than ewes, which strongly supports the anecdotal observation of higher losses in wether mobs. Higher OJD prevalence was linked to measures correlated with soil fertility including cation exchange capacity, phosphorus buffer index and organic matter content of soil.

Successful completion of this project enables the development of additional recommendations for on-farm control measures for OJD to support vaccination, and may help clarify the ecological niche of M. paratuberculosis, the potential for disease spread into areas not currently affected and the likely level of disease that would be experienced in these areas.

RNAi is a technique of gene silencing where individual genes can be switched off and the effects observed. If the affected worms are affected (for example, are paralysed) the gene product may be a good candidate as a control target. Cell culture allows the study of isolated worm components. Given that it is difficult to cultivate these parasites in vitro, cell culture could open up approaches to studying cell biology that are currently unavailable.

In this project we have developed phenotyping tools that will be used to measure RNAi effects and have commenced the gene knockout experiments. These are currently available in the free-living stages of the parasite, but the ultimate aim is to develop the technique for parasites in sheep. Cells recovered from worms have been grown in culture. These will be used to study defined cell types and as a platform for RNAi. They offer several potential advantages as it may be easier to deliver RNA to these cells and their responses will be simpler to interpret than responses in sheep.

The aim is to develop tools for further research. This project falls into a multi-institutional research program with the aim of discovering targets for improved parasite control.

Australian Wool Innovation

Dr Arbeit Fellow (University of Hannover )

Several assays are used in the laboratory to measure: muscle contraction (using a force transducer), development, motility, migration and electrical responses in the pharynx of worms. The laboratory is equipped with electrophysiology gear that can be used to measure a range of electrical responses, including patch clamp and voltage clamp.

The project aimed to understand the pharmacology of avermectin/ivermectin resistance in sheep nematodes. This information will help develop tools for molecular diagnosis in the future. The work showed that:

• drug action and resistance occurred at two distinct sites, pharynx and body muscle of worms;
• the two major drug classes act in similar ways but their receptor populations are not identical in distribution in the worms or/and the three species of parasites;
• resistance is most likely due to different mechanisms in the different species and even isolates of the same species. A single test for resistance is not likely to be found;

Australian Research Council

Pfizer Australia

Professor Richard Whittington
Ms Kylie Deece

Australian Animal Health Laboratory,

CSIRO

The quantity and value of aquaculture production will increase relative to wild harvest fisheries globally and as a consequence the international community is taking great interest in disease threats to finfish aquaculture. Epizootic haematopoietic necrosis (EHN) is one of the viral diseases of fish listed by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) and occurs in parts of Australia. Due to the extreme virulence of the causative agent EHN virus (EHNV), its restricted geographic range and limited opportunities for study outside Australia, this country hosts the OIE Reference Laboratory for EHNV, based jointly at the University of Sydney Faculty of Veterinary Science and CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory. In addition to providing research and diagnostic referral services to the Australian industry, the reference laboratory provides technical advice, protocols and reagents to laboratories throughout the world, thereby ensuring international diagnostic capability. This is required under international guidelines in trade in aquatic animal products, administered by the OIE. The OIE Reference Laboratory for EHNV represents an important contribution by Australia to the international community.

EHNV reference laboratory functions were identified as one of a number of high priority issues for funding under the Federal Government’s “Building a National Approach to Animal and Plant Health” program. The OIE Reference Laboratory for EHNV has provided reagents, protocols and diagnostic referral services to fish health laboratories in Australia and other countries for more than 10 years. Research on protocols for improved viral detection and differentiation from related viruses has been ongoing, and has been published in high quality journals. However, many of the original reagents were prepared in 1989-1992 and stocks of quality-controlled batches were almost exhausted. Furthermore, new protocols had recently been developed using modern tools of molecular biology but standardized DNA reagents were not available. The aim of this project was therefore to provide quality-controlled viral, tissue, antibody and DNA reagents and protocols to detect EHNV and to differentiate it from related viruses including BIV. A further aim was to develop and assess new storage conditions, guidelines for reconstitution and shelf life for these reagents.

Reagents and protocols for the detection of EHNV using the latest technology in ELISA, immunohistochemistry and molecular biology have been prepared, evaluated at an independent laboratory and are now available to laboratories in Australia and internationally. EHNV is a very serious pathogen. Consequently the reagents have been prepared using a new approach which will facilitate easy shipment in a stable form with no biosecurity risk. This is important in the current era of bioterrorism.

• a summary of the key animal welfare issues covered and the perspective they are present from;
• level of demand for animal welfare education resources;
• explore the activities of other organisations ie NFF, RSPCA, AVA and CIWF in this field;
• recommendations regarding a need for education materials for either primary, secondary or tertiary students.

Ms Melanie Crockford

CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory

In 1995 and 1998 there were major epizootics in pilchards which spread from South Australia around the southern coastline of Australia until the entire geographic range of pilchards in Australian waters was affected. A herpesvirus was identified as the cause. There was a loss of 60% of pilchard biomass, devastation of the pilchard fishery and secondary effects on piscivorous birds such as penguins which failed to breed.

The Joint Pilchard Scientific Working Group (JPSWG) was established under the Consultative Committee on Exotic Animal Diseases. The working group set priorities and coordinated research on the virus. Development of molecular diagnostic techniques was given highest priority as these will enable epidemiological studies to determine whether the virus is dormant in the pilchard population and whether or not it is coming in to the country through imported pilchard bait.

The aim of this study is to validate molecular diagnostic tests for pilchard herpesvirus and to put them to use in elucidating the biology of the virus, including a survey of wild pilchards. Sequencing of the viral genome will continue, in order to design more specific tools and also to compare the virus obtained in 1995 with that collected in 1998. Objectives include:

• To improve the polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization diagnostic assays which are based on limited sequence data by generation of further viral genome sequence data from the available stocks of virus
• To independently establish the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic assays at other laboratories
• To investigate basic aspects of the virus and the disease: tissue distribution of virus in infected fish, and the correlation between disease in fish and the presence of virus
• To survey wild pilchard populations to determine whether the virus is still currently detectable and causing disease
• To compare the herpesvirus strains from 1995 & 1998, and to compare, at the molecular level, this herpesvirus and this disease with two other similar herpesvirus fish diseases which have been reported elsewhere in the world.

Professor Richard Whittington
Mr Matt Landos

Dr Brian Jones* , Fisheries Department Western Australia
CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory

*Principal investigator

The aim of this project is to evaluate and clearly define current and future needs for aquatic animal health training and for systems for merit-based accreditation and competency assessment. Stakeholder consultations will define current and future needs for aquatic animal health support among Australia’s aquaculture industries, both established and emerging. The needs identified will determine the training that is required to provide those services. However, consultations will also take into account issues such as succession planning, merit-based accreditation of experts, and competency assessment, as well as the reluctance of institutions to provide training for what may be perceived to be a very small and specialised market. After the consultations, an issues paper will be prepared that identifies the problems and solutions, for formal submission to the Aquatic Animal Health Committee (AAHC).

Professor Richard Whittington
Mr Matt Landos

Dr Mark Crane

Australian Animal Health Laboratory, CSIRO

This project is concerned with the establishment of the network and commencement of activities, including proficiency tests (“ring tests”) designed to assist laboratories in further developing their diagnostic capabilities and/or to allow demonstration that performance of a particular test is at a nationally accepted standard, using Australian and New Zealand Standard Diagnostic Procedures (ANZSDPs). In this way the confidence of stakeholders in the quality of the diagnostic service is increased.

Specific objectives include to:

• Make recommendations on the structure and function of the network of receival and reference laboratories
• Establish a laboratory network for aquatic animal disease diagnosis
• Facilitate transfer of knowledge and technology in aquatic animal diagnostics
• Develop a model for national laboratory proficiency (ring) testing as a mechanism to enhance the proficiency of the diagnostic network.

University of California, Santa Barbara

Ms Jenny Mohler

Specific aims include:

• to determine if Salmonella dam mutant vaccines can confer cross-protective immunity against multiple Salmonella isolates in calves. A principal concern with all modified live vaccines is safety.
• to introduce additional attenuating mutations (e.g., aroA) to reduce the virulence capacity of the Salmonella dam^- vaccine without compromising efficacy in calves.
• to determine if Salmonella dam^- vaccines can be used as a platform for delivering passenger antigens to elicit protection against the cognate pathogen. We have chosen the Enterotoxogenic E. coli (ETEC) K99 fimbriae as a model passenger antigen since ETEC strains that express K99 fimbriae account for nearly all cases of ETEC infection in newborn calves and K99 fimbriae are a known immunogen that confers protective immunity against clinically relevant ETEC infections in calves and other species. The K99 fimbriae antigen from ETEC clinical isolates will be expressed in dam^- Salmonella. Vaccine efficacy will be assessed by elicitation of protective immunity against ETEC diarrheal disease in calves via passive colostral transfer of protective antibodies from vaccinated cows.
• to develop safe and effective vaccines against Salmonella infection of cattle, and to demonstrate that this vaccine platform may be used to express cognate antigens from other pathogens thereby promoting the health and productivity of livestock, reducing Salmonella contamination of livestock, livestock-derived food products, and enhancing food safety.

Despite the susceptibility of the causative bacterium Moraxella bovis to a large number of antimicrobial compounds the treatment of affected cattle has many disadvantages and the prevention of IBK is therefore preferable. M. bovis virulence factors include the production of leukotoxin, protease, and β-hemolysin along with the presence of fimbriae on the bacterial cell surface that play a role in adherence. M. bovis fimbrial proteins act as immunogens and vaccination with isolated fimbriae stimulates bovine anti-fimbrial antibodies. However, strains of M. bovis are known to differ in their fimbrial antigens, with two types of fimbriae identified along with at least seven distinct serogroups of fimbriated M. bovis. Efficacious application of fimbrial based IBK vaccines requires production of a polyvalent vaccine targeting specific regional isolates.

The aims of this project are:

• to conduct a survey of Moraxella bovis strains in Australia to determine the prevalence of different serotypes across the country
• to determine which virulence attributes are common to most isolates
• to design a pink eye vaccine applicable to prevention of bovine infectious keratoconjunctivitis in Australia.

Associate Professor John House

The prevalence of contagious mastitis in dairy cattle has dropped over the last 20 years. Environmental mastitis subsequently accounts for the largest proportion of intramammary infections and the associated losses in production. Surveys of mastitis conducted in Australia have reported that Streptococcus uberis is the most frequent environmental mastitis pathogen and suggest that coliform mastitis is relatively infrequent in Australian dairy cattle. These prevalence surveys have been conducted in Victoria and reflect the prevalence of disease in pasture fed dairy cattle.

Over the last 10 years there has been a steady and continuing trend toward intensification of the dairy industry with more farms providing supplementary feeding and some farms feeding total mixed rations similar to dairy production systems in Europe and the United States. Working with intensive dairy production systems in NSW we have observed a higher incidence of coliform mastitis than reported in Victorian surveys.

The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of different mastitis pathogens on intensive dairies in NSW and to investigate the interaction between diet and environment on the major groups (coliforms and streptococci) of environmental pathogens.

Dr Trish Holyoake
Dr Jenny-Ann Toribio
Dr Fortune Sithole

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI)

Victorian DPI

Queensland DPI

WA Department of Agriculture

Rural Lands Protection Board

QAF Meat Industries

Australian Pork Ltd

Preliminary studies have found disturbing gaps in our ability to identify and monitor pig health in a significant sector of the pig-rearing community in Australia – the small-scale pig producers in peri-urban and regional areas. Currently pigs raised in small-scale enterprises pose a high risk to Australia’s animal health industries due to our lack of knowledge about their movements and health and of the management practices implemented in these herds.

In this project we will develop systems to minimise the risk of exotic disease occurring in Australia by targeting this sub-population of the pig-rearing community. In particular work will focus on:

• Identification of the locations and practices of peri-urban pig producers
• Improved methods for tracking pig movements
• Mechanisms for health surveillance\
• Improved extension in relation to disease detection and swill feeding.

for Emerging Infectious Disease

The second problem this project seeks to address is the relatively poor health and performance of gilt progeny relative to sow progeny. Gilts are completely different animals than mature sows and can act as a health destabilising factor in herds. Overseas, producers are segregating gilt progeny and sow progeny to:

(1) stabilise PRRS in the progeny, to the extent that PRRS does not occur clinically in the mature sow herd; and

(2) manage Mycoplasma pneumonia.

On farms that segregate progeny, vaccines are only used in gilt progeny. Segregation has resulted in a 3 fold decrease in pneumonic lung lesions at processing in P2 progeny (35% incidence of lesions in P1 progeny vs 12% in the progeny of mature sows). On farms where only sow progeny are housed, nursery drug costs are less than half that of gilts ($1.85US/pig vs $0.72US/pig).

The proposed project seeks to:

(1) provide extensive training for a post-graduate veterinarian in pig health and production to provide for succession in the Australian pig industry

(2) improve the pre-weaning growth performance of gilt progeny using supplemental milk

(3) identify risk factors that explain why gilt progeny perform poorly, relative to sow progeny

(4) develop management strategies to control the risk factors and hence improve their performance

QAF Meat Industries

Dr Mike Nunn

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Emerging infectious diseases have the potential to cause significant impacts on animal health, public health, the economy and/or the environment. A good understanding of the epidemiology and likely spread of these diseases, should they be introduced to Australia, is a necessary component of effective preparedness and response planning. At present there is a shortage of people in Australia with skills to undertake comprehensive epidemiological modelling of animal and human diseases.

This project offers the opportunity to develop advanced skills in disease modelling by development of a stochastic spatial simulation model for a disease of concern to the Australian intensive livestock industries. Diseases that pose a serious threat include Newcastle disease and highly pathogenic avian influenza for the poultry industry and classical swine fever for the pig industry. Disease modelling, by evaluating the behaviour of an exotic disease under Australian conditions and the effect of alternate control strategies, is recognised as an important tool to support Australia’s preparedness for a disease incursion. This project, working with government and industry, will develop a new model of the spread of one disease highly pathogenic avian influenza within the Australian intensive livestock population to address issues associated with assessing the extent, impact and control of disease outbreaks. This model will be used to enhance national disease planning and will provide technical underpinning for Australia’s outbreak management policies.

Dr Richard Clark – Project leader - Queensland DPI
Dr Fay Rola-Rubzen – Curtin University
Dr Bob Pym – University of Queensland

Dr Alberto Taveros – Project Leader

Dr Agnes Taveros

Dr Eugene Lañada

Dr Fe Gabunada

Leyte State University

Livestock are an important contributor to the social and economic wellbeing of resource-poor smallholder families in low-income countries. They provide tangible household benefits, as a ready source of income, as well as benefits that are less tangible including the generation of employment, and the supply of inputs and services for crop production. Work from Africa suggests that livestock of all types on average make up 70% of farm investment and 40% of farm-generated income to smallholder families.

To date, most of the research and development work with smallholder farmers and their livestock in low-income countries has been conducted using traditional scientific methods. These methods have a strong focus of output-production (such as the identification of new or improved knowledge or the development of a tangible solution to an identified problem), generally followed a relatively linear sequence of problem identification, resolution and communication, and involved smallholder farmers as participants rather than partners in the research process. This project represents a substantial shift from traditional methodologies. Rather than focusing on the production of outputs, we are specifically seeking to build the capacity of farmers to improve the management, profitability and long-term sustainability of their livestock production systems through continuous improvement in their creativity, decisions, processes, practices and performance. Our work is focused on chicken and pig production systems, which play a key role in household income and nutrition for smallholder families in the Philippines.

LLIP Mission

‘Enhancing the wellbeing of smallholder families in western Leyte by increasing the capacity of farmers to continuously improve their pig and chicken production systems to achieve an average of 5% improvements in profit (gross margin), environment (specific KPIs), and energy efficiency (specific KPIs), this year and in the future’.

LLIP Objectives

1. To increase the capacity of participating producers to improve the management, profitability and long-term sustainability of their livestock systems through continuous improvement in their creativity, decisions, processes, practices and performance

2. To improve the contribution of livestock, in a measurable and sustainable way, to the social and economic wellbeing of smallholder families in western Leyte.

Dr Jenny-Ann Toribio
Dr Peter Thomson

Drs Angus Cameron & Chris Baldock (Deceased)
AusVet Animal Health Services

Electronic data capture can be achieved either using a web-based data submission system (providing real-time access to a centralised database and allowing instant analysis), or by the use of hand held computing devices. The current project therefore proposes that both systems be developed in a staged fashion. Initially, a web-based system was developed and will be followed by a hand-held device for data entry. A central component of each system is the Bovine Syndromic Surveillance System (BOSSS) a tool to assist farmers identify disease problems. This artificial intelligence system controls flow of information about individual diseases, disease investigation and control based upon examination of reported signs, and will promote the capture of negative sign data (ie signs that are definitely not present). It provides producers with information about the most likely diseases that can explain reported signs and undertakes a differential examination of these listed signs by questioning the user about the presence (or absence) of key differential signs. The data entered goes into a syndromic database that includes negative signs and has enhanced ability to differentiate disease and investigate potential exotic disease events.

This project will result in:

• An internet-based animal health information system enabling data entry, data analysis and reporting for a syndrome surveillance system for use by producers in remote areas.
• User-friendly computer-assisted diagnostic aids to help producers in remote areas.
• Software to be used on hand held devices which permits data entry and access to computer-assisted diagnostic aids in the field.
• Software and simple methods to transfer data from hand held devices to a centralised database for more sophisticated analysis of aggregated data as part of Australia’s overall disease surveillance system for cattle.

Robert Flower*
Ms Sandra Kamieh
North Shore Hospital

*Principal investigator

Borna disease virus (BDV) is a neurotropic RNA virus that can cause clinical disease in humans, horses, cats and sheep. Reports of its presence in Australia have been made, but have been unsubstantiated. These reports required verification with regard the human and animal health in this country as well as having implications for export of animals from Australia.

The aim of this study is to investigate in various species whether BDV could be detected in Australia, by use of various serological and molecular techniques. Specific objectives include:

• Investigate and determine the prevalence of BDV in horses and cats using serological and molecular techniques.
• Investigate whether BDV or a BDV-like agent can be detected in the human population and if so, to determine the prevalence of BDV infection in humans, primarily blood donors, pregnant women, long-term multiply transfused haematology and depressed patients.
• Investigate whether BDV is associated with altered cytokine production in depressed patients, as opposed to a control population.
• Use definitive confirmatory serological tests for the detection of BDV.
• Obtain sequence data of isolates of BDV in Australia and compare to existing sequences of BDV for evidence of variation.

Ms Meg Vost
Dr Nicholas Malikides

for Emerging Infectious Disease

The clear and strong parallels between human and animal health have been recognised for millennia. Recent collaborative endeavours in developing and industrialised countries between the World Health Organisation, Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, and the Office International des Epizooties have redefined the role of veterinary public health and have involved veterinarians and other health professionals and scientists in a broad range of government and non-government sectors. However, in Australia, few lasting and significant collaborations have been formed between veterinary and medical science, and education, training and research activities in animal and human health have remained only tenuously linked.

In 2004, the veterinary, medical, and public health schools of the University of Sydney and public health institutions within Sydney and New South Wales formed a working group, the Interdisciplinary Network in Public Health (INPH). The INPH now has an expanding group of representatives from the University of Sydney, Westmead Hospital and the Public Health units in Lismore, Broken Hill, and Moree. Meeting every four months by teleconference, the INPH aims to create key partnerships between multiple health disciplines, including epidemiology, environmental and occupational health, clinical veterinary and human medicine and public health, pathology, wildlife and agricultural science, and to enhance, and capitalise on members’ areas of expertise in teaching, research and community service.

Joint projects in infectious diseases of public health importance, seminars given by experts in emerging infectious diseases and development of a unique animal and human based zoonoses fact sheet website were the major tasks of the INPH for 2004-2005. Through conferences related to communicable diseases, and through major government, industry, university and international organisations such as the Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Disease and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, we aim to enhance these and other similar initiatives while promoting the need for ongoing interdisciplinary animal and human health collaboration.