3 Disease surveillance activities Victoria’s livestock industries have a high animal health status. Ongoing surveillance is necessary to ensure early detection of diseases with the potential to affect public health, trade and productivity. reporting of surveillance The Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) data defines surveillance as the systematic ongoing collection, collation and analysis of The National Animal Health Information information related to animal health, and the System (NAHIS) collates data from a wide timely dissemination of information to those range of government and nongovernment who need to know so that action can be taken. activities to provide an overview of animal health in Australia. These data are essential In general, surveillance is in place to for supporting trade in animal commodities demonstrate the absence of disease or and meeting Australia’s international reporting infection, determine the occurrence or obligations. distribution of disease or infection, and detect exotic or emerging diseases as early as Every quarter, Agriculture Victoria provides possible. Surveillance activities are also used summary surveillance data and reports of to monitor disease trends, facilitate disease disease investigations to NAHIS. The data management, support claims for freedom from come from a range of sources, including disease to maintain markets, and provide surveillance activities, monitoring programs, data for use in biosecurity risk analysis and disease control programs, diagnostic decision making. laboratories and veterinary investigations. The Victorian animal health surveillance Summary NAHIS data are available from system is principally on structured the Animal Health . activities, including: animalhealthaustralia.com.au/elibrary), and disease reporting or notifications are reported in the Animal Health Surveillance disease management programs and Quarterly newsletter and the Animal Health in health schemes Australia annual report. targeted testing and screening on-farm disease investigations Data collection use of sentinel animals antemortem and postmortem Surveillance data in Victoria are collected inspections at abattoirs and knackeries from a number of sources, including laboratory investigations. surveillance activities, monitoring programs, disease control programs, diagnostic The Livestock Disease Control Act 1994 laboratories, Agriculture Victoria staff, private and subordinate legislation support disease veterinary practitioners and livestock surveillance. These legislated requirements producers. During 2016, more than 2000 help to monitor background patterns, and disease surveillance records were entered detect new and emerging diseases. from around Victoria, achieving extensive coverage of the main livestock-producing Recording and regions of the state (Figure 3.1).
3 Disease surveillance activities Victoria’s livestock industries have a high animal health status. Ongoing surveillance is necessary to ensure early detection of diseases with the potential to affect public health, trade and productivity. The Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) defines surveillance as the systematic ongoing collection, collation and analysis of information related to animal health, and the timely dissemination of information to those who need to know so that action can be taken. In general, surveillance is in place to demonstrate the absence of disease or infection, determine the occurrence or distribution of disease or infection, and detect exotic or emerging diseases as early as possible. Surveillance activities are also used to monitor disease trends, facilitate disease management, support claims for freedom from disease to maintain markets, and provide data for use in biosecurity risk analysis and decision making. The Victorian animal health surveillance system is principally on structured activities, including: disease reporting or notifications disease management programs and health schemes targeted testing and screening on-farm disease investigations use of sentinel animals antemortem and postmortem inspections at abattoirs and knackeries laboratory investigations. The Livestock Disease Control Act 1994 and subordinate legislation support disease surveillance. These legislated requirements help to monitor background patterns, and detect new and emerging diseases. Recording and reporting of surveillance data The National Animal Health Information System (NAHIS) collates data from a wide range of government and nongovernment activities to provide an overview of animal health in Australia. These data are essential for supporting trade in animal commodities and meeting Australia’s international reporting obligations. Every quarter, Agriculture Victoria provides summary surveillance data and reports of disease investigations to NAHIS. The data come from a range of sources, including surveillance activities, monitoring programs, disease control programs, diagnostic laboratories and veterinary investigations. Summary NAHIS data are available from the Animal Health . animalhealthaustralia.com.au/elibrary), and are reported in the Animal Health Surveillance Quarterly newsletter and the Animal Health in Australia annual report. Data collection Surveillance data in Victoria are collected from a number of sources, including surveillance activities, monitoring programs, disease control programs, diagnostic laboratories, Agriculture Victoria staff, private veterinary practitioners and livestock producers. During 2016, more than 2000 disease surveillance records were entered from around Victoria, achieving extensive coverage of the main livestock-producing regions of the state (Figure 3.1).
Animal-Health-in-Victoria-2016_Text-only.docx