AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Basic Field Epidemiology

Session 2 – Overview of EpidemiologyRecorded PowerPoint file

AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

In Session 2 we will explore:

• The main roles of para-vets

• What is epidemiology

• Why epidemiology can be useful to para-vets

• The importance of both veterinary clinical skills and field epidemiology skills in animal health

• How epidemiological skills can help prevent zoonosis, as an example

AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Field Epidemiology helps

• Understand causes of disease in animal populations (groups of animals)– Can explain why disease is occurring even when

you don’t know what the disease is

• Provide better disease treatment and prevention advice to farmers

AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

• iSIKHNAS = Indonesia’s new animal health information system.

AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

• Sick calf

• Abscess at navel

• Pak Paimin– Examine calf– Drain abscess– Treat

Budi’s place

AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

• Sick calf – navel abscess• Knowledge of the epidemiology of navel abscesses in calves• Allows para-vets to provide best advice on

– Treatments– Prevention in other healthy calves

• Provide a clean, dry calving environment, • Make sure each calf gets a good drink of milk in first 6 hours after birth

Budi’s place

AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

• Why has anthrax occurred at this place and time and in these animals?

• Anthrax - How can I stop animals?

• I don’t know what it is? How can I stop animals dying and more becoming sick?

• Why, during the rainy season, do my cows get diarrhoea 3 weeks after my neighbours cattle are sick?

Field Epidemiology can help answer question like:

AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Zoonoses• rabies, brucellosis, Q fever, leptospirosis,

psittacosis, Nipah virus

rabies Nipah virus

AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

• Epidemiology is the study of the patterns and causes of disease in populations

• Field Epidemiology skills will help understand the causes of disease at the population level, and this will help explain why diseases are occurring

AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Para-vets need to be able to:• recognise sick animals (clinical veterinary

skills) AND• have well developed field epidemiology skills

AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Veterinary clinical skills

Epidemiologyskills

One sick animal(examination, diagnosis, treatment)

Advice on future prevention of disease in that one animal

Advice on early detection & prevention in other animals on the same farm

Animals on other farms

Large disease outbreaks & zoonotic risks to human health

AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Session 2 - Summary• Epidemiology is the study of the patterns and causes of disease in

populations.

• Field epidemiology means applying epidemiology skills in the field - on farms and in day-to-day work to address real problems for farmers

• Para-vets need veterinary clinical skills & field epidemiology skills.

• Field epidemiology training will help para-veterinarians to:– understand causes of disease & use this knowledge to:

• explain why diseases are occurring• and provide better advice to farmers on disease treatment and prevention

AUSTRALIA INDONESIA PARTNERSHIP FOR EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Close of video