現在、東京大学の客員教授として来日しているスターク博士は、帯広畜産大学でも大学院の講義を2回担当しています。この機会を利用して博士の専門分野である疫学に関するセミナーを開催することになりました。皆様の参加をお待ちしています。

スイスの乳牛における NEOSPORA CANINUM 感染症の疫学とその経済的損失

日時：平成17年10月11日（火）午後1時〜2時半

場所：帯広畜産大学原虫病センターP/Kホール

講師：カタリナ・スターク博士（スイス連邦獣医局疫学部長）

言語：英語

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（英文要旨）

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND ECONOMICS OF NEOSPORA CANINUM IN DAIRY CATTLE IN SWITZERLAND

Katharina D.C. Stark, Barbara Hasler & Martin Reist

　Neospora caninum has been recognized as a major cause of infectious abortion in cattle worldwide and is considered to produce substantial economic losses to the dairy industry. The present study was designed to assess the impact of different control strategies on the N. caninum seroprevalence in Swiss dairy cattle and to calculate their cost-effectiveness in view of a Swiss control campaign.

　An epidemiological model was developed to reflect the epidemiology of N. caninum in the female dairy cattle population of Switzerland. A baseline strategy was developed to simulate the current situation (seroprevalence 12%). The model was adapted to represent four control strategies: testing and culling of seropositive animals, discontinued production of replacements from seropositive cows, medical treatment of calves with a hypothetical new substance, and vaccination. The results of the prevalence model were used as inputs in an economic model. The benefit-cost ratio (BCR) and the net present value (NPV) were calculated for each strategy.

　A policy of annual culling of all seropositive cattle in the population reduced prevalence effectively and rapidly from 12% to <1% within one year. The control strategies with discontinued breeding of replacements, medical therapy of calves and vaccination reduced the prevalence effectively but rather on a mid- to long-term scale. The median current annual losses due to N. caninum in the Swiss dairy population were estimated to be €8.4 Mio. Only scenarios were economically viable where all animals were tested only in the first year, and only selected animals were tested in subsequent years. Several control strategies revealed BCRs >1 and positive NPVs. Considering not only economical aspects but also the acceptance of strategies among farmers and consumers, we recommend the control strategy “discontinued production of replacements from seropositive cows” to be preferential. However, because medication with a hypothetical new substance was shown to potentially have the best BCR, it might be preferable to postpone decisions on a national control strategy until more information on potential medication becomes available.

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