Alasdair J C Cook | The University of Surrey (original) (raw)

Papers by Alasdair J C Cook

Research paper thumbnail of Perceptions, circumstances and motivators that influence implementation of zoonotic control programs on cattle farms

Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Mar 1, 2010

The implementation of disease control programs on farms requires an act of behavioral change. Thi... more The implementation of disease control programs on farms requires an act of behavioral change. This study presents a theoretical framework from behavioral science, combined with basic epidemiological principles to investigate and explain the control of zoonotic agents on cattle farms. A pathway to disease control model was adapted from existing models in behavioral science and human medicine. Field data was used to demonstrate the validity of the model to identify and explain motivational factors for implementation of disease control programs among English and Welsh cattle farmers. The field data consisted of interviews conducted with 43 farmers, which were analyzed to investigate the farmers' perception of responsibility for safe cattle produce as well as the intrinsic and extrinsic barriers that inhibited the implementation of a zoonotic control program on their farms. The model was used to illustrate barriers affecting the implementation process and to classify farmers according to their current level of zoonotic control at each stage within the model. Ordinal multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the motivators associated with different levels of implementation. Younger farmers and/or larger herds were more likely to place financial responsibility upon the industry rather than government and all but two farmers accepted a social responsibility for food safety within cattle production. In general, attitudes towards zoonotic control were positive, but approximately half the farmers showed no intent to control and were inhibited by non-supportive social norms and/or a lack of belief in self-efficacy. The remaining farmers showed intent to control, but had not implemented any structured control program due to external barriers including lack of knowledge and both cultural and economic pressure from society and industry. The farmers with no intent to adopt control measures identified their private veterinarian as the preferred motivator, whereas consumer-demand and financial rewards or penalties were significantly associated with farmers who intended to control.

Research paper thumbnail of Temporal patterns and risk factors for Escherichia coli O157 and Campylobacter spp. in young cattle

Journal of Food Protection, Mar 1, 2009

Escherichia coli O157 and Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are zoonotic pathogens orig... more Escherichia coli O157 and Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are zoonotic pathogens originating from farm animals. Cattle are the main reservoir for E. coli O157 and also contribute to human cases of campylobacteriosis through contaminated milk, direct contact, and environmental contamination. Thirty groups of young cattle on 30 farms were observed for 7 months and sampled on 4 to 6 separate occasions for E. coli O157 and C. jejuni/coli to characterize shedding patterns and identify risk factors. The within herd prevalence of E. coli O157 per sampling occasion ranged from 0 to 60% (mean = 24%) and average Campylobacter spp. within herd prevalence was 47% ranging from 0 to 100%. The prevalence of E. coli O157-positive herds declined with a linear trend throughout the study from 100 to 38% (OR: 0.5, P < 0.01), whereas time in the study was not significantly associated with Campylobacter prevalence (P = 0.13). Larger herds were more likely to be positive with either or both agents, whereas the number of suckler calves on the farm reduced the risk of both organisms (OR: 0.4/0.6, P < 0.01). Poultry on the premises reduced the risk of E. coli O157, but was not associated with Campylobacter. Emptying and cleaning the water troughs more often than once monthly reduced the risk of detecting Campylobacter and cattle sourced by private water supplies were more likely to be Campylobacter positive. No drinking water management practices were associated with E. coli O157. The risk of detecting both organisms were almost five times higher when the cattle were housed indoors (OR: 4.9, P = 0.03).

Research paper thumbnail of Risk factors for a positive meat juice ELISA result - an analysis of routine data from Britain

Research paper thumbnail of Development of harmonised schemes for the monitoring and reporting of Echinococcus in animals and foodstuffs in the European Union. A report to EFSA

Research paper thumbnail of Surveillance for Avian Influenza in Wild Birds in the European Union in 2007

Http Dx Doi Org 10 1637 9266 895010 Digest 1, Mar 1, 2010

Surveillance of wild birds for avian influenza viruses has been compulsory in the European Union ... more Surveillance of wild birds for avian influenza viruses has been compulsory in the European Union (EU) since 2005, primarily as a means of detecting H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus and of monitoring the circulation of low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) virus H5 and H7 strains. In 2007, 79,392 wild birds were tested throughout the EU. H5N1 HPAI was detected in 329 birds from four Member States (MS); affected birds were almost entirely of the orders Podicipediformes (grebes) and Anseriformes (waterfowl) during the summer months. LPAI was detected in 1485 wild birds among 21 MS. A total of 1250 birds were positive for influenza A but were not discriminated any further; LPAI H5 was detected in 105 birds, exclusively of the order Anseriformes. LPAI H7 was detected in seven birds. LPAI of other subtypes was found in 123 birds. Epidemiologic evidence and phylogenetic analysis of H5N1 viruses indicate that H5N1 did not appear to persist in the EU from 2006 but was reintroduced, probably from the Middle East.

Research paper thumbnail of Zoonoses Action Plan Salmonella monitoring programme: an investigation of the sampling protocol

Journal of food protection

The Zoonoses Action Plan (ZAP) Salmonella Programme was established by the British Pig Executive ... more The Zoonoses Action Plan (ZAP) Salmonella Programme was established by the British Pig Executive to monitor Salmonella prevalence in quality-assured British pigs at slaughter by testing a sample of pigs with a meat juice enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies against group B and C(1) Salmonella. Farms were assigned a ZAP level (1 to 3) depending on the monitored prevalence, and ZAP 2 or 3 farms were required to act to reduce the prevalence. The ultimate goal was to reduce the risk of human salmonellosis attributable to British pork. A mathematical model has been developed to describe the ZAP sampling protocol. Results show that the probability of assigning a farm the correct ZAP level was high, except for farms that had a seroprevalence close to the cutoff points between different ZAP levels. Sensitivity analyses identified that the probability of assigning a farm to the correct ZAP level was dependent on the sensitivity and specificity of the test, the number of batches taken to slaughter each quarter, and the number of samples taken per batch. The variability of the predicted seroprevalence was reduced as the number of batches or samples increased and, away from the cutoff points, the probability of being assigned the correct ZAP level increased as the number of batches or samples increased. In summary, the model described here provided invaluable insight into the ZAP sampling protocol. Further work is required to understand the impact of the program for Salmonella infection in British pig farms and therefore on human health.

Research paper thumbnail of Early detection of a Salmonella Dublin outbreak in cattle in Great Britain using spatio-temporal epidemiological methods

Research paper thumbnail of Identification of risk factors for the prevalence of CTX-M ESBL E. coli on dairy farms in North West England and North Wales

Research paper thumbnail of A mathematical model for the transmission of Salmonella Typhimurium within a grower-finisher pig herd in Great Britain

Journal of food protection

In a study of pigs slaughtered at British abattoirs, approximately 23% carried Salmonella in thei... more In a study of pigs slaughtered at British abattoirs, approximately 23% carried Salmonella in their cecal (large intestine) contents. The most frequent serotype was Salmonella Typhimurium (STM), which was the second most common cause of human salmonellosis in Great Britain. A pig industry-monitoring program was developed to reduce Salmonella infection on British farms. The control of STM infection on the farm requires an understanding of STM transmission dynamics within the herd, and a mathematical model has been developed for an infected grower-finisher farm. The model estimates the probability of a random pig being infected with STM. There are three broad categories of STM infection in pigs: pigs that are infected but unable to transmit the infection (latent); pigs that are infectious, i.e., able to transmit the infection (shedders); and pigs that have stopped shedding but harbor STM in their internal organs (carriers). The model estimates that 21.0% (5th and 95th percentiles, 0.05...

Research paper thumbnail of Jaap Boes , Pierre Dorny , Muza Kirjušina , Georgios Theodoropoulos

The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). I... more The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). In accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, this task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a grant agreement between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s). The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the European Food Safety Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by EFSA. EFSA reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors. SCIENTIFIC REPORT submitted to EFSA Development of harmonised schemes for the monitoring and reporting of Sarcocystis in animals and foodstuffs in the European Union ABSTRACT The current disease situation and national monitoring of Sarcocystis in the European Union Member States is reviewed to identify the relevance...

Research paper thumbnail of Prepared by: Pierre Dorny , Jaap Boes , Muza Kirjušina , Lucy Snow , Georgios Theodoropoulos

The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). I... more The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). In accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, this task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a grant agreement between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s). The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the European Food Safety Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by EFSA. EFSA reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors. SCIENTIFIC REPORT submitted to EFSA Development of harmonised schemes for the monitoring and reporting of Cysticercus in animals and foodstuffs in the European Union ABSTRACT Harmonised schemes are proposed for the monitoring and the reporting of Cysticercus in animals and foodstuffs in the European Union. The curre...

Research paper thumbnail of The Zoonoses action plan for the control of salmonella in finishing pigs

Research paper thumbnail of Spatial analysis of Salmonella outbreaks in cattle in the United Kingdom

Research paper thumbnail of Abattoir based survey of Salmonella in finishing pigs in the United Kingdom 2006-2007

Preventive veterinary medicine, 2014

All European Union (EU) Member States (MSs) were required to conduct a baseline survey from Octob... more All European Union (EU) Member States (MSs) were required to conduct a baseline survey from October 2006 to September 2007 to estimate the prevalence of Salmonella infection in finisher pigs at slaughter. In the United Kingdom (UK), samples for microbiological culture were collected from the ileo-caecal lymph nodes, from carcass swabs and from caecal contents. Meat juice samples were also collected for testing in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MJE) to detect a serological response. Salmonella was isolated from 22% (CI95% 19-25%) of ileo-caecal lymph nodes, 15% (CI95% 12-18%) of carcass swabs and 22% (CI95% 19-26%) of caecal contents. A quarter (25%, CI95% 22-29%) of MJE samples were positive for Salmonella antibodies (cut-off, S/P≥0.25). The most frequently identified serovars were Salmonella typhimurium (57%) and Salmonella derby (26%). The results were used to investigate some factors associated with Salmonella infection in slaughter pigs. The weight of the carcass was sign...

Research paper thumbnail of Postmortem services: Provision of diagnostic postmortem examination services

The Veterinary record, Jan 15, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Producing Salmonella-free pigs: a review focusing on interventions at weaning

The Veterinary record, Jan 12, 2011

Salmonella infection in pig production is typically endemic and largely asymptomatic. It is a cau... more Salmonella infection in pig production is typically endemic and largely asymptomatic. It is a cause of substantial concern among food safety bodies, prompting voluntary and legislative responses aimed at monitoring and reducing the number of Salmonella-infected animals entering the human food chain. Elimination of the problem at an early stage of production is highly desirable, and to this end the present review examines published evidence on the carriage of Salmonella by piglets before and after weaning, as well as evidence on the dynamics of Salmonella infection in the weaner and grower stages of pig production, the effects of maternal immunity, and risk factors for Salmonella excretion after weaning. Various interventions to reduce or eliminate Salmonella infection in young pigs have been tried, such as vaccination, competitive exclusion, treatments in feed and water, antibiotic administration, disinfection of animals, and segregated weaning to clean accommodation. The evidence o...

Research paper thumbnail of Analysis of meat juice ELISA results and questionnaire data to investigate farm-level risk factors for Salmonella infection in UK pigs

Zoonoses and public health, 2010

The study set out to explore risk factors for Salmonella infection in pigs, based on seroprevalen... more The study set out to explore risk factors for Salmonella infection in pigs, based on seroprevalence amongst slaughtered pigs, using a large study population of holdings and a comprehensive list of farm characteristics. Farm data were collected from pig quality assurance schemes and supplemented by a postal questionnaire. These data were used with meat juice serology results from ongoing abattoir Salmonella surveillance, for a multivariable risk factor analysis, modelling the ELISA sample to positive ratio directly (ELISA ratio). The study population contained 566 farms, covering a geographically representative spread of farms within the United Kingdom, with a mean average of 224 sample results per holding over a 4-year period. The model highlighted that temporal factors (quarterly and yearly cycles) and monthly meteorological summaries for rainfall, sunshine and temperature were associated with Salmonella presence (P < 0.01). The ELISA ratio was found to be highest in autumn and ...

Research paper thumbnail of Risk factors for Campylobacter colonisation during rearing of broiler flocks in Great Britain

Preventive veterinary medicine, 2009

We investigated the associations between Campylobacter colonisation and management practices and ... more We investigated the associations between Campylobacter colonisation and management practices and farm characteristics in 603 housed broiler batches originating from 137 farms in Great Britain. All study batches were the initial batch slaughtered from the selected house on enrolled farms. Between 1 and 15 batches were sampled from each farm throughout the study. A total of 34.2% of the batches was Campylobacter positive and multivariable multilevel logistic regression revealed that the risk of Campylobacter colonisation was highest in July (OR=3.4, CI95%:1.8; 6.4), August (OR=3.4, CI95%:1.9; 6.2) and September (OR=3.7, CI95%:1.9; 7.1). Cattle on or adjacent to the farm increased the risk (OR=1.7, CI95%:1.1; 2.7), whereas chlorinated drinking water reduced it (OR=0.5, CI95%:0.2; 0.9). If the first removed batch from the previous flock in the house had been Campylobacter positive, the first batch of the following flock was also more likely to be colonised (OR=3.2, CI95%:2.1; 4.9). This...

Research paper thumbnail of Evidence from the UK Zoonoses Action Plan in favour of localised anomalies of Salmonella infection on United Kingdom pig farms

Preventive veterinary medicine, 2009

Salmonella spp. are important food-borne pathogens. Abattoir studies demonstrated that almost a q... more Salmonella spp. are important food-borne pathogens. Abattoir studies demonstrated that almost a quarter of British finisher pigs might carry Salmonella, which led to the introduction by the British Pig Executive of their Zoonoses Action Plan (ZAP) to monitor the Salmonella status of United Kingdom pig farms by testing meat juice samples using an ELISA system. We used the K-function and approaches from the field of geostatistics to study routine data from ZAP. We demonstrated that there is statistical evidence that geographically localized anomalies of Salmonella infection were present in one of three regions studied. The physical mechanisms underlying this structure remain unclear: spatial structure might be present as a result of shared spatially structured (second-order) or non-spatially structured (first-order) risk factors, transmission processes, or a combination of both. We have demonstrated a way to use routinely collected surveillance data to enhance the knowledge of spatial...

Research paper thumbnail of Case-control study of cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy born after July 31, 1996 (BARB cases) in Great Britain

The Veterinary record, Jan 14, 2012

This paper reports the results of a case-control study of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (B... more This paper reports the results of a case-control study of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) cases born in Great Britain after the statutory reinforcement of the ban (BARB) on the feeding of mammalian-derived meat and bone meal on 31 July 1996. A total of 499 suspect clinical cases of BSE, born after 31 July 1996, and reported negative by July 31, 1996 and were compared with the set of 164 confirmed Great BARB cases in Great Britain detected by both passive and active surveillance. Animal-level risk factors (age and type of feed offered) and herd-level risk factors (herd size and type, number of prereinforced feed ban BSE cases born on the holding, the presence of other domestic species and waste management) were obtained for the analysis. BARB cases were 2.56 times (95 per cent CI 1.29 to 5.07) more likely to be exposed to homemix or a combination of homemix and proprietary feeds were 0.59 times (95 per cent CI 0.50 to 0.69) as less likely to be exposed to the unit increase...

Research paper thumbnail of Perceptions, circumstances and motivators that influence implementation of zoonotic control programs on cattle farms

Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Mar 1, 2010

The implementation of disease control programs on farms requires an act of behavioral change. Thi... more The implementation of disease control programs on farms requires an act of behavioral change. This study presents a theoretical framework from behavioral science, combined with basic epidemiological principles to investigate and explain the control of zoonotic agents on cattle farms. A pathway to disease control model was adapted from existing models in behavioral science and human medicine. Field data was used to demonstrate the validity of the model to identify and explain motivational factors for implementation of disease control programs among English and Welsh cattle farmers. The field data consisted of interviews conducted with 43 farmers, which were analyzed to investigate the farmers&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; perception of responsibility for safe cattle produce as well as the intrinsic and extrinsic barriers that inhibited the implementation of a zoonotic control program on their farms. The model was used to illustrate barriers affecting the implementation process and to classify farmers according to their current level of zoonotic control at each stage within the model. Ordinal multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the motivators associated with different levels of implementation. Younger farmers and/or larger herds were more likely to place financial responsibility upon the industry rather than government and all but two farmers accepted a social responsibility for food safety within cattle production. In general, attitudes towards zoonotic control were positive, but approximately half the farmers showed no intent to control and were inhibited by non-supportive social norms and/or a lack of belief in self-efficacy. The remaining farmers showed intent to control, but had not implemented any structured control program due to external barriers including lack of knowledge and both cultural and economic pressure from society and industry. The farmers with no intent to adopt control measures identified their private veterinarian as the preferred motivator, whereas consumer-demand and financial rewards or penalties were significantly associated with farmers who intended to control.

Research paper thumbnail of Temporal patterns and risk factors for Escherichia coli O157 and Campylobacter spp. in young cattle

Journal of Food Protection, Mar 1, 2009

Escherichia coli O157 and Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are zoonotic pathogens orig... more Escherichia coli O157 and Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are zoonotic pathogens originating from farm animals. Cattle are the main reservoir for E. coli O157 and also contribute to human cases of campylobacteriosis through contaminated milk, direct contact, and environmental contamination. Thirty groups of young cattle on 30 farms were observed for 7 months and sampled on 4 to 6 separate occasions for E. coli O157 and C. jejuni/coli to characterize shedding patterns and identify risk factors. The within herd prevalence of E. coli O157 per sampling occasion ranged from 0 to 60% (mean = 24%) and average Campylobacter spp. within herd prevalence was 47% ranging from 0 to 100%. The prevalence of E. coli O157-positive herds declined with a linear trend throughout the study from 100 to 38% (OR: 0.5, P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.01), whereas time in the study was not significantly associated with Campylobacter prevalence (P = 0.13). Larger herds were more likely to be positive with either or both agents, whereas the number of suckler calves on the farm reduced the risk of both organisms (OR: 0.4/0.6, P &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.01). Poultry on the premises reduced the risk of E. coli O157, but was not associated with Campylobacter. Emptying and cleaning the water troughs more often than once monthly reduced the risk of detecting Campylobacter and cattle sourced by private water supplies were more likely to be Campylobacter positive. No drinking water management practices were associated with E. coli O157. The risk of detecting both organisms were almost five times higher when the cattle were housed indoors (OR: 4.9, P = 0.03).

Research paper thumbnail of Risk factors for a positive meat juice ELISA result - an analysis of routine data from Britain

Research paper thumbnail of Development of harmonised schemes for the monitoring and reporting of Echinococcus in animals and foodstuffs in the European Union. A report to EFSA

Research paper thumbnail of Surveillance for Avian Influenza in Wild Birds in the European Union in 2007

Http Dx Doi Org 10 1637 9266 895010 Digest 1, Mar 1, 2010

Surveillance of wild birds for avian influenza viruses has been compulsory in the European Union ... more Surveillance of wild birds for avian influenza viruses has been compulsory in the European Union (EU) since 2005, primarily as a means of detecting H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus and of monitoring the circulation of low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) virus H5 and H7 strains. In 2007, 79,392 wild birds were tested throughout the EU. H5N1 HPAI was detected in 329 birds from four Member States (MS); affected birds were almost entirely of the orders Podicipediformes (grebes) and Anseriformes (waterfowl) during the summer months. LPAI was detected in 1485 wild birds among 21 MS. A total of 1250 birds were positive for influenza A but were not discriminated any further; LPAI H5 was detected in 105 birds, exclusively of the order Anseriformes. LPAI H7 was detected in seven birds. LPAI of other subtypes was found in 123 birds. Epidemiologic evidence and phylogenetic analysis of H5N1 viruses indicate that H5N1 did not appear to persist in the EU from 2006 but was reintroduced, probably from the Middle East.

Research paper thumbnail of Zoonoses Action Plan Salmonella monitoring programme: an investigation of the sampling protocol

Journal of food protection

The Zoonoses Action Plan (ZAP) Salmonella Programme was established by the British Pig Executive ... more The Zoonoses Action Plan (ZAP) Salmonella Programme was established by the British Pig Executive to monitor Salmonella prevalence in quality-assured British pigs at slaughter by testing a sample of pigs with a meat juice enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies against group B and C(1) Salmonella. Farms were assigned a ZAP level (1 to 3) depending on the monitored prevalence, and ZAP 2 or 3 farms were required to act to reduce the prevalence. The ultimate goal was to reduce the risk of human salmonellosis attributable to British pork. A mathematical model has been developed to describe the ZAP sampling protocol. Results show that the probability of assigning a farm the correct ZAP level was high, except for farms that had a seroprevalence close to the cutoff points between different ZAP levels. Sensitivity analyses identified that the probability of assigning a farm to the correct ZAP level was dependent on the sensitivity and specificity of the test, the number of batches taken to slaughter each quarter, and the number of samples taken per batch. The variability of the predicted seroprevalence was reduced as the number of batches or samples increased and, away from the cutoff points, the probability of being assigned the correct ZAP level increased as the number of batches or samples increased. In summary, the model described here provided invaluable insight into the ZAP sampling protocol. Further work is required to understand the impact of the program for Salmonella infection in British pig farms and therefore on human health.

Research paper thumbnail of Early detection of a Salmonella Dublin outbreak in cattle in Great Britain using spatio-temporal epidemiological methods

Research paper thumbnail of Identification of risk factors for the prevalence of CTX-M ESBL E. coli on dairy farms in North West England and North Wales

Research paper thumbnail of A mathematical model for the transmission of Salmonella Typhimurium within a grower-finisher pig herd in Great Britain

Journal of food protection

In a study of pigs slaughtered at British abattoirs, approximately 23% carried Salmonella in thei... more In a study of pigs slaughtered at British abattoirs, approximately 23% carried Salmonella in their cecal (large intestine) contents. The most frequent serotype was Salmonella Typhimurium (STM), which was the second most common cause of human salmonellosis in Great Britain. A pig industry-monitoring program was developed to reduce Salmonella infection on British farms. The control of STM infection on the farm requires an understanding of STM transmission dynamics within the herd, and a mathematical model has been developed for an infected grower-finisher farm. The model estimates the probability of a random pig being infected with STM. There are three broad categories of STM infection in pigs: pigs that are infected but unable to transmit the infection (latent); pigs that are infectious, i.e., able to transmit the infection (shedders); and pigs that have stopped shedding but harbor STM in their internal organs (carriers). The model estimates that 21.0% (5th and 95th percentiles, 0.05...

Research paper thumbnail of Jaap Boes , Pierre Dorny , Muza Kirjušina , Georgios Theodoropoulos

The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). I... more The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). In accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, this task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a grant agreement between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s). The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the European Food Safety Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by EFSA. EFSA reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors. SCIENTIFIC REPORT submitted to EFSA Development of harmonised schemes for the monitoring and reporting of Sarcocystis in animals and foodstuffs in the European Union ABSTRACT The current disease situation and national monitoring of Sarcocystis in the European Union Member States is reviewed to identify the relevance...

Research paper thumbnail of Prepared by: Pierre Dorny , Jaap Boes , Muza Kirjušina , Lucy Snow , Georgios Theodoropoulos

The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). I... more The present document has been produced and adopted by the bodies identified above as author(s). In accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, this task has been carried out exclusively by the author(s) in the context of a grant agreement between the European Food Safety Authority and the author(s). The present document is published complying with the transparency principle to which the European Food Safety Authority is subject. It may not be considered as an output adopted by EFSA. EFSA reserves its rights, view and position as regards the issues addressed and the conclusions reached in the present document, without prejudice to the rights of the authors. SCIENTIFIC REPORT submitted to EFSA Development of harmonised schemes for the monitoring and reporting of Cysticercus in animals and foodstuffs in the European Union ABSTRACT Harmonised schemes are proposed for the monitoring and the reporting of Cysticercus in animals and foodstuffs in the European Union. The curre...

Research paper thumbnail of The Zoonoses action plan for the control of salmonella in finishing pigs

Research paper thumbnail of Spatial analysis of Salmonella outbreaks in cattle in the United Kingdom

Research paper thumbnail of Abattoir based survey of Salmonella in finishing pigs in the United Kingdom 2006-2007

Preventive veterinary medicine, 2014

All European Union (EU) Member States (MSs) were required to conduct a baseline survey from Octob... more All European Union (EU) Member States (MSs) were required to conduct a baseline survey from October 2006 to September 2007 to estimate the prevalence of Salmonella infection in finisher pigs at slaughter. In the United Kingdom (UK), samples for microbiological culture were collected from the ileo-caecal lymph nodes, from carcass swabs and from caecal contents. Meat juice samples were also collected for testing in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MJE) to detect a serological response. Salmonella was isolated from 22% (CI95% 19-25%) of ileo-caecal lymph nodes, 15% (CI95% 12-18%) of carcass swabs and 22% (CI95% 19-26%) of caecal contents. A quarter (25%, CI95% 22-29%) of MJE samples were positive for Salmonella antibodies (cut-off, S/P≥0.25). The most frequently identified serovars were Salmonella typhimurium (57%) and Salmonella derby (26%). The results were used to investigate some factors associated with Salmonella infection in slaughter pigs. The weight of the carcass was sign...

Research paper thumbnail of Postmortem services: Provision of diagnostic postmortem examination services

The Veterinary record, Jan 15, 2014

Research paper thumbnail of Producing Salmonella-free pigs: a review focusing on interventions at weaning

The Veterinary record, Jan 12, 2011

Salmonella infection in pig production is typically endemic and largely asymptomatic. It is a cau... more Salmonella infection in pig production is typically endemic and largely asymptomatic. It is a cause of substantial concern among food safety bodies, prompting voluntary and legislative responses aimed at monitoring and reducing the number of Salmonella-infected animals entering the human food chain. Elimination of the problem at an early stage of production is highly desirable, and to this end the present review examines published evidence on the carriage of Salmonella by piglets before and after weaning, as well as evidence on the dynamics of Salmonella infection in the weaner and grower stages of pig production, the effects of maternal immunity, and risk factors for Salmonella excretion after weaning. Various interventions to reduce or eliminate Salmonella infection in young pigs have been tried, such as vaccination, competitive exclusion, treatments in feed and water, antibiotic administration, disinfection of animals, and segregated weaning to clean accommodation. The evidence o...

Research paper thumbnail of Analysis of meat juice ELISA results and questionnaire data to investigate farm-level risk factors for Salmonella infection in UK pigs

Zoonoses and public health, 2010

The study set out to explore risk factors for Salmonella infection in pigs, based on seroprevalen... more The study set out to explore risk factors for Salmonella infection in pigs, based on seroprevalence amongst slaughtered pigs, using a large study population of holdings and a comprehensive list of farm characteristics. Farm data were collected from pig quality assurance schemes and supplemented by a postal questionnaire. These data were used with meat juice serology results from ongoing abattoir Salmonella surveillance, for a multivariable risk factor analysis, modelling the ELISA sample to positive ratio directly (ELISA ratio). The study population contained 566 farms, covering a geographically representative spread of farms within the United Kingdom, with a mean average of 224 sample results per holding over a 4-year period. The model highlighted that temporal factors (quarterly and yearly cycles) and monthly meteorological summaries for rainfall, sunshine and temperature were associated with Salmonella presence (P < 0.01). The ELISA ratio was found to be highest in autumn and ...

Research paper thumbnail of Risk factors for Campylobacter colonisation during rearing of broiler flocks in Great Britain

Preventive veterinary medicine, 2009

We investigated the associations between Campylobacter colonisation and management practices and ... more We investigated the associations between Campylobacter colonisation and management practices and farm characteristics in 603 housed broiler batches originating from 137 farms in Great Britain. All study batches were the initial batch slaughtered from the selected house on enrolled farms. Between 1 and 15 batches were sampled from each farm throughout the study. A total of 34.2% of the batches was Campylobacter positive and multivariable multilevel logistic regression revealed that the risk of Campylobacter colonisation was highest in July (OR=3.4, CI95%:1.8; 6.4), August (OR=3.4, CI95%:1.9; 6.2) and September (OR=3.7, CI95%:1.9; 7.1). Cattle on or adjacent to the farm increased the risk (OR=1.7, CI95%:1.1; 2.7), whereas chlorinated drinking water reduced it (OR=0.5, CI95%:0.2; 0.9). If the first removed batch from the previous flock in the house had been Campylobacter positive, the first batch of the following flock was also more likely to be colonised (OR=3.2, CI95%:2.1; 4.9). This...

Research paper thumbnail of Evidence from the UK Zoonoses Action Plan in favour of localised anomalies of Salmonella infection on United Kingdom pig farms

Preventive veterinary medicine, 2009

Salmonella spp. are important food-borne pathogens. Abattoir studies demonstrated that almost a q... more Salmonella spp. are important food-borne pathogens. Abattoir studies demonstrated that almost a quarter of British finisher pigs might carry Salmonella, which led to the introduction by the British Pig Executive of their Zoonoses Action Plan (ZAP) to monitor the Salmonella status of United Kingdom pig farms by testing meat juice samples using an ELISA system. We used the K-function and approaches from the field of geostatistics to study routine data from ZAP. We demonstrated that there is statistical evidence that geographically localized anomalies of Salmonella infection were present in one of three regions studied. The physical mechanisms underlying this structure remain unclear: spatial structure might be present as a result of shared spatially structured (second-order) or non-spatially structured (first-order) risk factors, transmission processes, or a combination of both. We have demonstrated a way to use routinely collected surveillance data to enhance the knowledge of spatial...

Research paper thumbnail of Case-control study of cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy born after July 31, 1996 (BARB cases) in Great Britain

The Veterinary record, Jan 14, 2012

This paper reports the results of a case-control study of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (B... more This paper reports the results of a case-control study of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) cases born in Great Britain after the statutory reinforcement of the ban (BARB) on the feeding of mammalian-derived meat and bone meal on 31 July 1996. A total of 499 suspect clinical cases of BSE, born after 31 July 1996, and reported negative by July 31, 1996 and were compared with the set of 164 confirmed Great BARB cases in Great Britain detected by both passive and active surveillance. Animal-level risk factors (age and type of feed offered) and herd-level risk factors (herd size and type, number of prereinforced feed ban BSE cases born on the holding, the presence of other domestic species and waste management) were obtained for the analysis. BARB cases were 2.56 times (95 per cent CI 1.29 to 5.07) more likely to be exposed to homemix or a combination of homemix and proprietary feeds were 0.59 times (95 per cent CI 0.50 to 0.69) as less likely to be exposed to the unit increase...