Abstract
The Infectious Diseases of East African Livestock (IDEAL) project was a longitudinal cohort study of calf health which was conducted in Western Kenya between 2007–2010. A total of 548 East African shorthorn zebu calves were recruited at birth and followed at least every 5 weeks during the first year of life. Comprehensive clinical and epidemiological data, blood and tissue samples were collected at every visit. These samples were screened for over 100 different pathogens or infectious exposures, using a range of diagnostic methods. This manuscript describes this comprehensive dataset and bio-repository, and how to access it through a single online site (http://data.ctlgh.org/ideal/). This provides extensive filtering and searching capabilities. These data are useful to illustrate outcomes of multiple infections on health, investigate patterns of morbidity and mortality due to parasite infections, and to study genotypic determinants of immunity and disease.
Highlights
Background & SummaryAnimal health research has traditionally focused on specific infections
The Wellcome Trust funded the Infectious Diseases of East African Livestock (IDEAL) project to investigate the relationship between the host and its pathogens in such a context
This project was a multi-disciplinary study designed to address the underlying lack of baseline epidemiological data about infectious disease in Western Kenya and investigate the concept of a ‘good calf ’ by focusing on what combination of a calf ’s life history result in a healthy productive calf, or a poorly grown calf or dead
Summary
Animal health research has traditionally focused on specific infections. livestock in the tropics are routinely exposed to a wide variety of pathogens whose direct and indirect impacts on animal health are unlikely to be independent of one another[1]. A team of veterinarians and animal health assistants visited each calf every 5 weeks and carried out a clinical examination Following this examination biological samples were collected. The number of parasites is continuously growing as more tests are carried out This evolving dataset linked to its biorepository represents the first attempt to study the complete pathogen landscape of any species and a unique resource for the research community interested in infectious diseases of cattle in East Africa. The longitudinal collection of data allows the outcomes of multiple infections to be related to their effect on their host and their interaction with host genotype We hope that this database will provide the opportunity for others to study the dynamics of infectious diseases, either as stand-alone work or used in synergy with other projects. The online format integrated with the biobank provides an opportunity to apply any new tools as they become available allowing new questions to be addressed
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