Implementation of a Syndromic Surveillance Pilot Program in Selected Cattle Markets in Texas, USA

Authors

  • Judy E. Akkina United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO, United States
  • Leah Estberg United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO, United States
  • Gary Ross United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO, United States
  • Cynthia Johnson United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO, United States
  • Marta Remmenga United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO, United States
  • Randy Munger United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO, United States
  • Andy Schwartz Texas Animal Health Commission, Austin, TX, United States

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v6i1.5114

Abstract

Syndromic surveillance of livestock animals at points of concentration, such as livestock markets, has the potential to provide early detection of endemic, zoonotic, transboundary, environmental, and newly emerging animal diseases and to identify animal health trends. We describe the design and implementation of a syndromic surveillance program in selected cattle markets in Texas, USA. The project successfully demonstrated the feasibility of having trained livestock inspectors document the number of cattle observed and the number displaying clinical signs/syndromes. Weekly analysis of the syndrome data provided useful information on animal health trends.

Author Biography

Judy E. Akkina, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO, United States

Judy Akkina received her Master of Public Health degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1983 and her Ph.D degree in environmental epidemiology from Colorado State University (CSU) in 2000. Judy has worked at the Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health since 1995 and is currently an epidemiologist with the National Surveillance Unit.  Judy's current work focuses on design and implementation of syndromic surveillance systems to provide early detection of endemic, zoonotic, transboundary, environmental and newly emerging animal diseases and to identify animal health trends.

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Published

2014-03-09

How to Cite

Akkina, J. E., Estberg, L., Ross, G., Johnson, C., Remmenga, M., Munger, R., & Schwartz, A. (2014). Implementation of a Syndromic Surveillance Pilot Program in Selected Cattle Markets in Texas, USA. Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v6i1.5114

Issue

Section

Oral Presentations