Publication Abstract

Risk categorisation of freshwater salmonid farms – a case study for viral haemorrhagic septicaemia

A model developed to calculate a quantitative risk score for individual aquaculture sites was applied to risk score 74 rainbow trout farms in 2 countries (42 from England, 32 from Italy) for their risk of being infected with viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS). The disease-specific risk score indicates the risk of the site being infected, and is intended to be used for risk ranking of sites to support surveillance for demonstration of zone or member state freedom from a specified disease. The inputs to the model include a range of quantitative and qualitative estimates of risk factors organised into risk themes.

The diversity of infection statuses of farm sites (and corresponding category I-V status according to Directive 2006/88) in the study countries was reflected in the scorings results. It showed that the model clearly is suited to risk rank farms.

Requirements for broader application of the method, including options for cost efficient farm data collection, will be discussed.

The work was undertaken in a cooperation Art 36 project "Risk categorization for Aquatic Animal Health surveillance" (CFP/EFSA/AHAW/2011/03) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

 

 

B. Oidtmann*, F. Pearce*, M. Thrush*, E. Peeler*, C. Ceolin, M. Dalla Pozza, A. Fabris, K. Stärk, A. Cameron

16th International Conference on Diseases of Fish and Shellfish, European Association of Fish Pathology, 2 – 6 September 2013, Tampere, Finland