National animal health surveillance: Return on investment.
A weighted benefit-cost analysis (BCA) supports prioritization of animal health surveillance activities to safeguard animal agriculture industries and reduce the impact of disease on the national economy. We propose to determine the value of investment in surveillance by assessing benefits from: avoiding disease incursion and expansion modified by the probability of occurrence of the disease event, the sensitivity of systems to detect it, and the degree to which we can mitigate disease impact when detected. The weighted benefit-cost ratio is the modified value of surveillance as laid out above divided by the cost of surveillance. We propose flexible, stream-based surveillance that capitalizes on combining multiple streams of information from both specific pathogen based and non-pathogen based surveillance. This stream-based type of system provides high value with lower costs and will provide a high return for the funds invested in animal health surveillance.
United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building B, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA. aaron.e.scott@aphis.usda.gov
Aaron E
AE
Scott
Kenneth W
KW
Forsythe
Cynthia L
CL
Johnson
D000383:Agriculture / Q000191:economics*; D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000818:Animals; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D007449:Investments; D011159:Population Surveillance; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology