Methods of Approaches in ‘One Health’ Surveillance – Evaluation of CWD Surveillance

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is disease of importance to Alberta's cervid industry. Access to markets for Alberta cervids and cervid products has been denied because of CWD. Losing access to markets has severely affected the economic viability of the cervid industry, and continues to depress it today. Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) has been conducting CWD surveillance for many years at levels that far exceed those seen in most other jurisdictions in the world. This project will conduct a scientifically rigorous evaluation of ARD’s CWD surveillance system using stochastic scenario tree modeling (SSTM). SSTM is a relatively new methodology developed to assess the sensitivity of a surveillance system and quantify confidence in freedom from disease. As this is an important goal of many surveillance systems used throughout public health and animal health, this methodology will be tested for applicability to other surveillance systems within the “One Health” field.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Norman Neumann

Student:

Paul Clyburn

Partner:

AQL Management Consulting Inc.

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

Fisheries and wildlife

University:

University of Alberta