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Research into Zoonoses
The Centre's main role is to encourage inter-disciplinary and inter-institutional research into zoonoses. Research by members of the Centre include:
sOURCES OF CAMPYLOBACTERIOSIS
Campylobacter jejuni is the most common cause of bacterial gastro-enteritis in the developed world, affecting around 500, 000 people in the UK and more than 3 million people in the US each year.
C. jejuni is widespread among animals farmed for meat, including ruminants and poultry and infections of humans is often associated with food consumption, particularly of poultry. However, the relative importance of different sources remains controversial.
Using a novel approach, a study lead by the University of Lancaster has revealed that the vast majority of human cases are attributable to domestic livestock farmed for food, with chicken and cattle being the principal sources, whereas wildlife and environmental sources account for just 3% of disease. The results suggest that enhanced on-farm biosecurity and/or prevention of food-borne transmission could dramatically reduce the incidence of the disease in people.
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DETERMINING THE BURDEN OF GASTRO-INTESTINAL DISEASE
Understanding the burden of disease in the community is fundamental for control and prevention, planning and monitoring. However, researchers disagree about the best methods to ascertain disease burden. A recently completed study has been investigating infectious causes of diarrhoea and vomiting in the community using seven separate but related studies.
People, animals and their zoonoses in kenya
While keeping domestic stock is an important source of rural livelihoods in many countries, these animals may expose the families that keep them to disease risks. Understanding the interactions between people and their domestic animals, and the transmission of zoonoses between them, is of vital importance in creating the evidence-based disease control policies that are required to protect both human and animal health.
An ongoing study, based at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, and run jointly with the International Livestock Research Institute and Kenya Medical Research Institute, is gaining a comprehensive understanding of the infection history of a large cohort of humans and livestock in a study site in Western Kenya. Environmental, behavioural and social factors that might contribute to exposure are also being explored, and the project provides the frameowrk for the evaluation of a range of diagnostic tests in this setting. The findings will be synthesised to devise cost-effective interventions to improve disease control and development policy.
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the threat of zoonoses
Many factors are believed to contribute to the threat of new or re-emerging zoonoses, including development by infectious agents of new genetic combinations that have altered pathogenic potential, or changes in behaviour or socioeconomic, environmental, or ecological characteristics of the hosts. A recent paper discusses causal factors that influence the dynamics associated with emergence or re-emergence of zoonoses, particularly in the industrialised world. The paper highlights selected examples to provide a comprehensive view of their range and diversity.
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