Investigative Workshop: Modeling Bovine Tuberculosis
Scientists from Scotland to Sweden Arrive at NIMBioS to Study Bovine TB
In 2008, the U.S. Department of Agriculture spent $31 million to depopulate herds of cattle affected by bovine tuberculosis (TB), even though the risk of the disease has been significantly reduced in the U.S. over the past several decades. Worldwide, especially in developing countries, the disease persists, which could threaten the U.S. cattle industry in terms of international trade.
The development of new tools to better understand bovine TB and to help disease eradication efforts by the USDA was the focus of a workshop held at NIMBioS, July 7-9, on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, campus.
The workshop brought together experts from around the world to share ideas about how mathematical modeling approaches for cattle movements in the United States may influence disease transmission models as well as inform policies and programs for reducing the spread of bovine TB. Scientists attending the workshop included those with expertise in mathematical network and disease spread models, as well as scientists with expertise in cattle movements, livestock industry practices, and the bovine TB agent.
"NIMBioS is uniquely situated to foster such collaborations because one of its specific priorities is bringing together mathematics and biology researchers to address problems that are important to the animal industry," said Agricola Odoi, workshop co-organizer and an assistant professor in the Department of Comparative Medicine at the University of Tennessee School of Veterinary Medicine.
One of the primary goals of the workshop was to assist the USDA in identifying new and novel methods for evaluating control options for bovine TB.
"There is a lot we don't know or understand about cattle movement across the U.S.," said USDA veterinarian Katie Portacci. "I think the expertise that NIMBioS is bringing to the workshop will help us better understand bovine TB transmission dynamics through cattle movement."
In terms of controlling the spread of the disease, one of the goals of the USDA is to move away from the use of depopulation as a management tool, Portacci said. "I think the NIMBioS meeting will help us come up with alternative ways of dealing with the problem of bovine TB."
Bovine TB is a slow, progressive bacterial disease and is difficult to diagnose in the early stages. As the disease progresses, animals may exhibit emaciation, lethargy, weakness, anorexia, low-grade fever, and pneumonia with a chronic, moist cough. It usually is transmitted through contact with respiratory secretions from an infected animal.
Mostly found in cattle, bovine TB can also infect other domesticated and wild animals. The U.S. State and Federal Cooperative Bovine TB Eradication program, which began in 1917, has made significant progress in decreasing the prevalence of the disease in humans and cattle. However, small pockets of the M. bovis infection still exist in cattle and wildlife in the United States.
Modeling the Impact of Cattle Movements on Transmission Dynamics of Bovine Tuberculosis is a NIMBioS Investigative Workshop. Colleen Webb, Associate Professor of Biology at Colorado State University, joined Odoi as co-organizer.
NIMBioS Investigative Workshops involve 30-40 participants, of which about half are invited. Individuals with a strong interest in the topic can also apply to attend.
The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) brings together researchers from around the world to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries to investigate solutions to basic and applied problems in the life sciences. NIMBioS is funded by the National Science Foundation in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with additional support from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
For more information, contact Catherine Crawley at 865-974-9350 or ccrawley@nimbios.org
NIMBioS Investigative Workshop: Modeling Bovine Tuberculosis
Topic: Modeling the impact of cattle movements on transmission dynamics of bovine tuberculosis (M. bovis) in the United States
Meeting dates: July 7-9, 2009
Organizers:
Colleen Webb (Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins);
Agricola Odoi (Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Objectives: Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious chronic disease found primarily in cattle but has been identified in many other species. The State and Federal Cooperative Bovine TB Eradication program, which began in 1917, has made significant progress decreasing the prevalence of M. bovis in humans and cattle. However, small pockets of M. bovis infection still exist in cattle and wildlife in the United States. In fiscal year 2008, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) spent approximately $31 million depopulating M. bovis affected herds, in addition to costs incurred for surveillance and control activities. In an effort to increase efficiency and effectiveness of TB control in the US, it is important to consider and assess other control strategies.
The use of disease simulation models is one method of exploring control options that could be used as alternatives to whole herd depopulation. Understanding cattle movement patterns as well as the connectivity of the various sectors of the U.S. cattle industry and incorporating these in the models would allow USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) to develop more effective regulations and control strategies for various animal diseases, including bovine TB.
A number of interesting mathematical questions exist at the intersection of statistical and process-based models, and research on these approaches are relevant to the problem of modeling TB transmission. This Investigative Workshop will bring together experts from across the globe to discuss cutting-edge approaches to model bovine TB transmission in the United States, with the goal of developing a model that would help inform policy on TB control strategies.
Summary Report on the NIMBioS Investigative Workshop — Modeling Bovine Tuberculosis, July 7-9 2009
The NIMBioS Investigative Workshop on Bovine Tuberculosis convened July 7-9, 2009 with 37 participants from North America and Europe. Much of the progress in modeling bovine tuberculosis has been in European agricultural systems where cattle movement and disease spread data are quite detailed. This workshop investigated how modeling approaches developed for the European systems might be applied to the U.S. system, which differs quite significantly from the systems in Europe and where available data are not quite as detailed. Workshop organizers and participants plan to form a working group to develop models of cattle movement that would allow prediction of bovine TB spread and investigation of alternative control and eradication plans in the United States at both the state level (in states with high prevalence of bovine tuberculosis) and at the national level.
Organizers: Colleen Webb (Colorado State Univ.) and Agricola Odoi (Univ. of Tennessee)
Participants: Erika Asano (Univ. of South Florida, St Petersburg); Lisa Benjamin (Texas A&M Univ.); Ellen Brooks Pollock (Harvard School of Public Health); Victoria Brown (Univ. of Bath); Michael Buhnerkempe (Colorado State Univ.); Xiongwen Chen (Alabama A & M Univ.); Andrew Conlan (Univ. of Cambridge); Fernanda Dorea (Univ. of Georgia); Todd Duenckel (USDA APHIS VS); Matt Farnsworth (USDA VS); Eli Fenichel (Arizona State Univ.); Yrjö Gröhn (Cornell Univ.); Graham Hickling (Univ. of Tennessee); Susan Jones (Univ. of Minnesota); John Kaneene (Univ. of Michigan, Vet); Cristina Lanzas (Cornell Univ.); Tom Lindström (Linköping Univ.); Jason Lombard (NAHMS-VS); Robert Meyer (USDA APHIS VS); Ryan Miller (USDA VS CEAH); lvaro Moraes (King Abdullah Univ. Sci. & Tech.); John New (Univ. of Tennessee); Francisco Olea-Popelka (Colorado State Univ.); Kathy Orloski (USDA APHIS VS); Richard Orton (Univ. of Glasgow); Susan Pala (Univ. of Tennessee); Janet Payeur (USDA APHIS NVSL); Katie Portacci (USDA VS CEAH); Suelee Robbe-Austerman (USDA APHIS VS NVSL); Sam Scarpino (Univ. of Texas); Shih-Lung Shaw (Univ. of Tennessee); Sadie Simonovich (NCEAS); Michael Tildesley (Univ. of Edinburgh); Matt Vernon (Univ of Warwick); Uno Wennergren (Linköping Univ.)
NIMBioS Investigative Workshops involve 30-40 participants, focus on a broad topic or a set of related topics, attempt to summarize/synthesize the state of the art and identify future directions, and have potential for leading to one or more future
