Welcome to vnonline.co.uk

vnonline.co.uk provides the veterinary nursing profession with the latest news and industry developments, as well as events, resources, learning materials and careers.

Our website is dedicated to veterinary nurses and we strive to provide a platform where you can voice and explore your interests.

Not a member yet? Sign up for free!

Register for free with vnonline.co.uk to gain unlimited access to news, resources, jobs and much more!



Click here to become a member






Log in to vnonline

Forgot your password?

Posted: 7th February 2013

The spread of disease in a population
Researchers study transmission of infectious diseases

A study at the University of Bristol has helped to determine the patterns of disease epidemics in territorial animals, such as badgers, which will aid scientists in targeting prevention strategies.

The research involved recording how quickly disease is transmitted between a species, and whether this affected by the demography of the species, the way the animals wander and the degree of contagiousness of the disease.

By finding more about how viruses and infections move from animal to animal, scientists will be able to uncover more effective control measures for diseases. These will be based on identifying specific individuals, or classes of individuals, rather than widespread measures that target the entire species, such as culling.

The researchers used a model to discover that badgers, which are territorial animals, transmit the bovine tuberculosis (bTB) infection by passing the bacterial pathogen to individuals in neighbouring territories.

Dr Luca Giuggioli, senior lecturer in Complexity Sciences in the Department of Engineering Mathematics and the School of Biological Sciences at the university, took part in the study.

He said: "The research findings have the potential to be applicable to various populations of territorial animals worldwide, including in the UK bovine TB in badgers, which has enormous economic implications for the cattle industry."

The study was funded by a grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the National Autonomous University of Mexico. It has been published in Physical Review Letters.



Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history



Latest news | Careers | Events | Resources | Contact us | Terms and conditions | Data Protection and Privacy |Cookie policy | About us | Copyright
© 2024 Vision Media, all rights reserved. vnonline.co.uk is not responsible for the content of external websites.