Page 460 - The Veterinary Laboratory and Field Manual 3rd Edition

Epidemiology 397

Figure 9.5 Veterinarian training veterinary paraprofessionals to perform a post-mortem examination and
how to collect and handle appropriate laboratory specimens, Punjab, Pakistan.

disease surveillance, however, can be much Extension or awareness campaigns can be used
more cost effective because it relies on the fact to increase farmers’ awareness of the need to
that a livestock keeper will report an unusual report unusual disease events in order to con-
disease event, either unusually high morbid- tribute towards the development of risk-based
ity or high mortality or cases of sudden death disease prevention and control programmes.
or abortion and so on, to their nearest animal In those countries where reporting of listed
health service provider. Such reports may not notifiable diseases is mandatory, guidelines may
necessarily be because the farmer knows that be provided under the veterinary legislation to
there is a disease surveillance system operating, aid field workers to understand when it is nec-
but usually because he wants the service pro- essary to report a disease event and to ensure
vider to give assistance in the form of curative that all cases of notifiable diseases are reported.
treatment or advice. Veterinary paraprofession- Such guidelines may include some or all of the
als can be trained to report suspected notifiable following.
disease events through providing training on
the recognition of disease syndromes or clinical
signs commonly associated with notifiable dis-
ease events rather than specific disease entities.

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