Veterinary Policy Research Articles

Diary of a parliamentary intern

The Veterinary Policy Research Foundation employs a veterinary intern to assist Lord Trees in advancing veterinary thinking in parliament. Here, the current intern Catrina Prince shares an update.

Diary of a parliamentary intern

The Veterinary Policy Research Foundation employs a veterinary intern to assist Lord Trees in advancing veterinary thinking in parliament. Here, the current intern Catrina Prince shares an update.

An Evaluation of Veterinary Production and Services in Bangladesh

As a developing country, the economy of Bangladesh is based on agricultural activities. Veterinary science and production have a significant impact on the socio-economic development of the country. The current study evaluates the sector in terms of Animal Feeds, Disease and Diagnostic Services, Preventive Veterinary Service, Clinical Service, Artificial Insemination, Wildlife Healthcare, Administrative Assistance, Legal framework and policy regime, Veterinary Public Health and Zoonoses, Research and Development for Veterinary Science, Licensing Veterinary Activities, Industrial Evaluation Based on ventures, and Veterinary education and research activities. Veterinary activities and economic development are positively correlated and affect poverty alleviation. The current study is a pioneering attempt to evaluate the area in the context of Bangladesh, which will essentially add value to the existing literature.

Small animal disease surveillance 2020/21: SARS-CoV-2, syndromic surveillance and an outbreak of acute vomiting in UK dogs.

Small animal disease surveillance 2020/21: SARS-CoV-2, syndromic surveillance and an outbreak of acute vomiting in UK dogs.

Diary of a parliamentary intern

The Veterinary Policy Research Foundation employs a veterinary intern to assist Lord Trees in advancing veterinary thinking in parliament. Here, the current intern Catrina Prince shares an update.

Monitoring and Evaluation Framework for Veterinary Policy: A Case of Veterinary Services in South Sudan

Effective and efficient veterinary services in implementing specific disease control measures and disease surveillance, entails monitoring and evaluation system to be integrated into its budgeted policy framework and strategic plan, a system that keeps the directorate of veterinary services in a mode of action-reflection-action. The guiding principles for the envisaged monitoring and evaluation should include, identification and establishment of veterinary services baseline data; adaptation of result-based decisions and management. While it address measurement of performance, data collection and analysis, reporting, reviews and institutional arrangement. The operationalization of monitoring and evaluation framework for the directorate of veterinary services is to be based on the logical approach of inputs, process, output, outcomes and impact indicators. The collected data on each indicator should be analyzed and summarized in the progress reports of the directorate and be reviewed periodically. However, veterinary health projects and nongovernmental organizations should develop their own indicators in a logical frame. Standard data collection and reporting system have to be developed by key stakeholders, however, animal health survey may be disaggregated. Monitoring and evaluation framework for veterinary policy identifies sources for data generation. It suggest that in absence of baseline data, a pilot survey may be undertaken, and that veterinary policy may be assessed under a join implementation review, animal health expenditure review, budgetary and development fund reviews. However, the envisaged monitoring and evaluation framework emphasizes duties and responsibilities of the directorate of veterinary services in generating a quality data, and in establishment of a unit for veterinary statistic which fosters information culture and promote information demand. Furthermore, it undertake progress review, effect prediction and identification of essential policy adjustment, as well as, it measures progress and it determine as to whether veterinary services and animal health actors are meeting their goals or not.

White Paper: Bridging the gap between surveillance data and antimicrobial stewardship in the animal sector-practical guidance from the JPIAMR ARCH and COMBACTE-MAGNET EPI-Net networks.

BackgroundThe JPIAMR ARCH and COMBACTE-MAGNET EPI-Net networks have joined efforts to formulate a set of target actions to link the surveillance of antimicrobial usage (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) activities in four different settings. This White Paper focuses on the veterinary setting and embraces the One Health approach.MethodsA review of the literature was carried out addressing research questions in three areas: AMS leadership and accountability; AMU surveillance and AMS; and AMR surveillance and AMS. Consensus on target actions was reached through a RAND-modified Delphi process involving over 40 experts in infectious diseases, clinical microbiology, AMS, veterinary medicine and public health, from 18 countries.Results/discussionForty-six target actions were developed and qualified as essential or desirable. Essential actions included the setup of AMS teams in all veterinary settings, building government-supported AMS programmes and following specific requirements on the production, collection and communication of AMU and AMR data. Activities of AMS teams should be tailored to the local situation and capacities, and be linked to local or national surveillance systems and infection control programmes. Several research priorities were also identified, such as the need to develop more clinical breakpoints in veterinary medicine.ConclusionsThis White Paper offers a practical tool to veterinary practitioners and policy makers to improve AMS in the One Health approach, thanks to surveillance data generated in the veterinary setting. This work may also be useful to medical doctors wishing to better understand the specificities of the veterinary setting and facilitate cross-sectoral collaborations.

Incidence of Animal-Bite Injuries Registered in Public Hospitals of Post-Conflict Swat District, Pakistan in 2014

The Swat district, a conflict-hit territory due to Taliban militancy, had a damaged local health infrastructure. Animal-bite injuries leading to rabies is one of the major health concerns in developing countries, especially within conflict zones. The current prospective epidemiological study was conducted to estimate the cumulative incidence of animal-bite injuries, to summarize characteristics of bite victims and biting animals, and to collect information about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) practices in Swat district, Pakistan, during 2014. A questionnaire was designed to collect data about the sociodemography of the patients, bite incident situation (provoked or unprovoked), injury pattern, animal type, PEP, and vaccination. Descriptive analyses were conducted using bar graphs, frequency tables, and chi-square tests were used to determine associations. The cumulative incidence of animal-bite injuries was 39 per 100,000 people during the study period (May-August 2014). The majority of incidents were reported from rural regions (77.7%) and were males (76.6%) younger than 10 years (37.3%). Dogs were the most frequent biting animal (86.8%) followed by rats (4.7%). About 77.7% patients washed their wound before arrival at hospital. After an eclipse phase of 10 days, 44 (10.1%) animals developed sign of rabies. The current study has highlighted a topic of interest for health, education, veterinary, and local government policy makers regarding prevention of animal bites, benefits of PEP, vaccination of human and domestic animals, control of stray dogs, and eradication of rabies in developing countries with damaged healthcare structures.

Diary of a parliamentary intern

The Veterinary Policy Research Foundation employs a veterinary intern to assist Lord Trees in advancing veterinary thinking in parliament. Here, the current intern Catrina Prince shares an update.

"They've got to be testing and doing something about it": Farmer and veterinarian views on drivers for Johne’s disease control in dairy herds in England

There needs to be an understanding of the reasons why key stakeholders engage in disease control efforts if disease is to be successfully and sustainably controlled. It is increasingly recognised within veterinary epidemiology and policy making in animal health that these ‘people factors’ are important influences on the success or otherwise of animal disease control programmes. Research methodologies adopted from the social sciences offer ways to understand this important dimension through investigating the attitudes and opinions of the key actors involved. The study reported in this paper, based on qualitative interview research, investigates the views of dairy farmers and cattle veterinarians on the drivers and incentives for controlling Johne’s disease in English dairy herds. Twenty semi-structured interviews involving 17 dairy farmers and seven veterinarians were conducted in two dairy-intensive regions of England. The findings demonstrate the varied influences of veterinary advice and encouragement; appreciation of the economic cost of the disease at herd level; a voluntary national control plan; and fear of a future consumer food scare as the main reasons to engage in Johne’s disease control on dairy farms. The study demonstrates how a combination of a voluntary industry-led control scheme, compulsory participation through retailer and processor contractual requirements, and threats of reputational harm and market loss have strongly influenced farmer and veterinary behaviour in relation to Johne’s control without statutory involvement. The findings illustrate the importance of considering the political economy and societal impact of animal disease.

Diary of a parliamentary intern

The Veterinary Policy Research Foundation employs a veterinary intern to assist Lord Trees in advancing veterinary thinking in parliament. Here, the current intern Catrina Prince shares an update.

The Cat Desexing Policies and Activities of Private Veterinary Practices in Queensland.

Simple SummaryThe Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) shelters around Australia take in hundreds of unwanted adult cats and kittens each year. Widespread desexing (or sterilizing) of cats before they have a chance to become pregnant would reduce numbers of kittens born, and hence, would be expected to reduce numbers of cats entering shelters. Veterinarians have an important role to play in promoting desexing of cats before they reach puberty, and this paper reports on a survey conducted to describe Queensland veterinary practice policies and activities. We ascertained ages that veterinarians recommended for desexing of cats, ages at which desexing actually occurs, what veterinary practices are doing to promote desexing, and what the respondents see as the barriers to desexing before puberty.Cats are prolific breeders, and if most cats were desexed prior to puberty, numbers of unwanted cats and kittens, and hence numbers entering shelters, would be expected to decline. Although traditionally in Australia it has been reported that 90% of veterinary clients’ cats are desexed, there are still hundreds of cats and kittens that end up unwanted and in shelter care annually. In this study, we surveyed Queensland veterinary practices to describe ages that veterinarians are recommending cats should be desexed at, ages at which desexing actually occurs, what veterinary practices are doing to promote desexing of cats, and what veterinarians see as the barriers to desexing of cats before puberty. A questionnaire was developed and sent to all veterinary practices in Queensland. The response rate was 50%. Almost 45% of respondents recommended desexing at the traditional age of 6 months, which is later than puberty in most cats; for more than 56% of practices, the actual average age at which desexing occurred was at least 6 months; and in a substantial proportion of practices, when desexed, high percentages of cats had already had litters. Most practices took steps to encourage their clients to have their cats desexed, and most thought these steps were effective. The results from this study suggest that although veterinarians generally agree that cats should be desexed prior to having their first litter, recommended and actual desexing ages are commonly too late to ensure this is achieved. Better understanding is required about both the likely impact of more veterinary practices recommending and conducting desexing before puberty on numbers of unwanted cats and numbers surrendered to shelters, and the drivers of age at which cats are desexed. This could inform strategies to reduce numbers of unwanted cats.

Las implicaciones del establecimiento de fronteras y su cruce para el control de las enfermedades de ganado en el África colonial meridional: 1890-1960

This article explores the implications of border-making and border-crossing for the control of livestock diseases in colonial Southern Africa. Using archival documents and oral histories, it argues that the movement of livestock and wild animals across borders, which affected the epidemiology of livestock diseases and threatened the livestock industry, led to international scientific conferences and cooperation in disease control among countries such as Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South Africa. This scientific cooperation included efforts to control East Coast Fever, Trypanosomiasis, and Foot and Mouth Disease. Hence, this article shows how critical border-making and border-crossing processes were in shaping the historical trajectories of the various social spaces in Southern Africa. In addition, given the permeable colonial borders, livestock diseases unequivocally challenged the idea of the inside and the outside as two self-evident positions because the contestation of the borders through various cross-border movements contributed to inter-colonial scientific cooperation to control livestock diseases. What is often overlooked is that although veterinary policies were, in theory, supposed to be applied indiscriminately, Africans and their livestock, considered as diseased in European circles, bore the brunt of these policies. Hence, this article also examines how livestock policies emerging from these international conferences affected African villagers, whose livelihoods and cultures were rooted in livestock keeping. What worsened the situation was that, due to their paternalistic attitudes, colonial officials rarely explained their actions to Africans, actions that included mass slaughter of and restrictions on the movement of African-owned livestock.

To report, or not to report, animal abuse: the role of perceived self-efficacy in veterinarians’ decision-making

BackgroundVeterinarians are on the frontline of animal welfare, but little is known about the factors that facilitate their decision to report cases of abuse to authorities. Using perceived self-efficacy as...

Network-based assessment of the vulnerability of Italian regions to bovine brucellosis

The endemic circulation of bovine brucellosis in cattle herds has a markedly negative impact on economy, due to decreased fertility, increased abortion rates, reduced milk and meat production. It also poses a direct threat to human health. In Italy, despite the long lasting efforts and the considerable economic investment, complete eradication of this disease still eludes the southern regions, as opposed to the northern regions that are disease-free. Here we introduced a novel quantitative network-based approach able to fully exploit the highly resolved databases of cattle trade movements and outbreak reports to yield estimates of the vulnerability of a cattle market to brucellosis. Tested on the affected regions, the introduced vulnerability indicator was shown to be accurate in predicting the number of bovine brucellosis outbreaks (Spearman r= 0.82, p= 0.04), thus confirming the suitability of our tool for epidemic risk assessment. We evaluated the dependence of regional vulnerability to brucellosis on a set of factors including premises spatial distribution, trading patterns, farming practices, herd market value, compliance to outbreak regulations, and exploring different epidemiological conditions. Animal trade movements were identified as a major route for brucellosis spread between farms (r=0.85, p<10-5 between vulnerability and number of inbound movements), with an additional potential risk attributed to the use of shared pastures (r=0.4, p=0.04). By comparing the vulnerability of disease-free regions in the north to affected regions in the south, we found that more intense trade and higher market value of the cattle sector in the north (r=0.56, p=0.01) likely inducing more efficient biosafety measures, together with poor compliance to trade restrictions following outbreaks in the south were key factors explaining the diverse success in eradicating brucellosis. Our modeling scheme is both synthetic and effective in gauging regional vulnerability to brucellosis persistence. Its general formulation makes it adaptable to other diseases and host species, providing a useful tool for veterinary epidemiology and policy assessment.

Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhoea in neonatal calves in Algeria

Neonatal calf diarrhoea triggered by the enteric protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in calves aged 1-month-old or younger globally. Infected cattle in general and calves in particular have also been demonstrated as major contributors of zoonotic C. parvum oocysts in the environment and have been linked to a number of waterborne outbreaks of human cryptosporidiosis. Little is known on the occurrence, geographical distribution, and molecular diversity of Cryptosporidium infections affecting bovine populations in Algeria. In this study faecal specimens were randomly collected from 460 cattle aged between two days and 18 months on 10 farms located in the provinces of Aïn Defla, Blida, Sétif, and Tizi Ouzou between the autumn of 2015 and the spring of 2016. Faecal samples were microscopically examined using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen acid-fast technique as screening method. Microscopy-positive samples were confirmed by a commercial coproantigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Bio-X Diagnostics). The identification of Cryptosporidium species and sub-genotypes in confirmed samples was conducted by PCR and sequence analyses of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (ssu rRNA) and the 60 kDa glycoprotein (gp60) genes of the parasite. Overall, 52.2% (240/460) of the investigated cattle tested positive to Cryptosporidium by microscopy. The infection was widespread in all 10 farms surveyed, but was significantly more prevalent in those from Blida in the central part of the country. Bovine cryptosporidiosis affected cattle of all age groups but with different outcomes. Pre-weaned (up to one month old) calves typically presented with diarrhoea, whereas older animals mostly harboured sub-clinical infections. The commercial ELISA used only detected 15.8% (38/240) of the samples that previously tested positive by microscopy, demonstrating a poor performance in field epidemiological surveys. Sequence analysis of the 29 isolates generated at the ssu rRNA loci confirmed the presence of four Cryptosporidium species including C. parvum (72.4%), C. bovis (13.8%), C. andersoni, (3.4%), and C. ryanae (3.4%). Two additional isolates (7.0%) could only be identified at the genus level. Eight out of the 21 isolates assigned to C. parvum were identified as sub-genotype IIaA16G2R1 at the gp60 locus. C. parvum was almost exclusively found infecting pre-weaned calves, whereas C. ryanae and C. andersoni were only detected in asymptomatic animals. Bovine cryptosporidiosis is highly endemic in the surveyed area and represents a veterinary public health concern that should be adequately tackled by Algerian veterinary health authorities and policy makers.

Prion Strains and Transmission Barrier Phenomena.

Several experimental evidences show that prions are non-conventional pathogens, which physical support consists only in proteins. This finding raised questions regarding the observed prion strain-to-strain variations and the species barrier that happened to be crossed with dramatic consequences on human health and veterinary policies during the last 3 decades. This review presents a focus on a few advances in the field of prion structure and prion strains characterization: from the historical approaches that allowed the concept of prion strains to emerge, to the last results demonstrating that a prion strain may in fact be a combination of a few quasi species with subtle biophysical specificities. Then, we will focus on the current knowledge on the factors that impact species barrier strength and species barrier crossing. Finally, we present probable scenarios on how the interaction of strain properties with host characteristics may account for differential selection of new conformer variants and eventually species barrier crossing.

Advice requested via social media

THIS series gives readers the opportunity to consider and contribute to discussion of some of the ethical dilemmas that can arise in veterinary practice. Each month, a case scenario is...

Ethical issues in the slaughterhouse

THIS series gives readers the opportunity to consider and contribute to discussion of some of the ethical dilemmas that can arise in veterinary practice. Each month, a case scenario is...

Performance indicators and prescribing antimicrobials

T-HIS series gives readers the opportunity to consider and contribute to discussion of some of the ethical dilemmas that can arise in veterinary practice. Each month, a case scenario is...