A risk assessment for the introduction of African swine fever into the Federated States of Micronesia

Subharat, S, Han, J, Cogger, N. "A risk assessment for the introduction of African swine fever into the Federated States of Micronesia" Apia, Samoa, "Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations", 19 pages, 10.4060/cc0421en. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.falseApia, Samo

A risk assessment for the introduction of African swine fever into Tuvalu

Subharat, S., Hee Han, J. and Cogger, N. “A risk assessment for the introduction of African swine fever into Tuvalu.” Apia, Samoa. First Published in “Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.” 19 pages https://doi.org/10.4060/cc0421en Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.falseApia, Samo

The Influence of Meteorology on the Spread of Influenza: Survival Analysis of an Equine Influenza (A/H3N8) Outbreak.

This article comes with 'Supporting Information S1. Survival analysis dataset formulation examples and correlations between explanatory variables in Cox regression modelling of factors associated with time to infection in the largest cluster of the 2007 outbreak of equine influenza in Australia. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0035284.s001The influences of relative humidity and ambient temperature on the transmission of influenza A viruses have recently been established under controlled laboratory conditions. The interplay of meteorological factors during an actual influenza epidemic is less clear, and research into the contribution of wind to epidemic spread is scarce. By applying geostatistics and survival analysis to data from a large outbreak of equine influenza (A/H3N8), we quantified the association between hazard of infection and air temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, and wind velocity, whilst controlling for premises-level covariates. The pattern of disease spread in space and time was described using extraction mapping and instantaneous hazard curves. Meteorological conditions at each premises location were estimated by kriging daily meteorological data and analysed as time-lagged time-varying predictors using generalised Cox regression. Meteorological covariates time-lagged by three days were strongly associated with hazard of influenza infection, corresponding closely with the incubation period of equine influenza. Hazard of equine influenza infection was higher when relative humidity was 30 km hour−1 from the direction of nearby infected premises were associated with increased hazard of infection. Through combining detailed influenza outbreak and meteorological data, we provide empirical evidence for the underlying environmental mechanisms that influenced the local spread of an outbreak of influenza A. Our analysis supports, and extends, the findings of studies into influenza A transmission conducted under laboratory conditions. The relationships described are of direct importance for managing disease risk during influenza outbreaks in horses, and more generally, advance our understanding of the transmission of influenza A viruses under field conditions.jointly funded by the Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporatio

Soil and plant test calibration to improve nutrient management

Addendum to final report, Abbotsford-Sumas Aquifer Nitrate Management Project G9500254.This project evaluated soil and plant tissue tests for nitrogen monitoring in silage corn fields in Whatcom County, WA. Soil tests evaluated included the Pre-Sidedress Nitrate Test (PSNT), and the Post-Harvest Nitrate Test

Emerging advances in biosecurity to underpin human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health

One Biosecurity is an interdisciplinary approach to policy and research that builds on the interconnections between human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health to effectively prevent and mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species. To support this approach requires that key cross-sectoral research innovations be identified and prioritized. Following an interdisciplinary horizon scan for emerging research that underpins One Biosecurity, four major interlinked advances were identified: implementation of new surveillance technologies adopting state-of-the-art sensors connected to the Internet of Things, deployable handheld molecular and genomic tracing tools, the incorporation of wellbeing and diverse human values into biosecurity decision-making, and sophisticated socio-environmental models and data capture. The relevance and applicability of these innovations to address threats from pathogens, pests, and weeds in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems emphasize the opportunity to build critical mass around interdisciplinary teams at a global scale that can rapidly advance science solutions targeting biosecurity threats