title: The North American Animal Disease Spread Model: a simulation model to assist decision making in evaluating animal disease incursions.
abstract: The North American Animal Disease Spread Model is a stochastic, spatial, state-transition simulation model for the spread of highly contagious diseases of animals. It was developed with broad international support to assist policy development and decision making involving disease incursions. User-established parameters define model behavior in terms of disease progression; disease spread by animal-to-animal contact, contact with contaminated personnel or equipment, and airborne dissemination; and the implementation of control measures such as destruction and vaccination. Resources available to implement disease control strategies, as well as the direct costs associated with these strategies, are taken into consideration. The model records a wide variety of measures of the extent of simulated outbreaks and other characteristics. The graphical interface and output visualization features also make it a useful tool for training and preparedness exercises. This model is now being used to evaluate outbreak scenarios and potential control strategies for several economically important exotic animal diseases in the United States, Canada, and elsewhere. NAADSM is freely available via the Internet at http://www.naadsm.org.
authors.affiliation: Department of Computing and Information Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reeves
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schoenbaum
authors.forename: Francisco J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Zagmutt-Vergara
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dubé
authors.forename: Ashley E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Corso
authors.forename: W Bruce
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: McNab
authors.forename: Claudia I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Cartwright
authors.forename: Mo D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Salman
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003657:Decision Making; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D008954:Models, Biological; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary