Cost analysis of various low pathogenic avian influenza surveillance systems in the Dutch egg layer sector

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 7; no. 4; p. e33930
• Main Authors: Rutten, Niels, Gonzales, José L, Elbers, Armin R W, Velthuis, Annet G J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 16.04.2012; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Agricultural economics; Analysis; Animals; Avian flu; Avian influenza; Avian influenza viruses; Blood; chickens; Chickens - blood; Cost analysis; Costs; Costs and Cost Analysis; Decision making; Economic analysis; Economic aspects; Economic models; Egg Yolk - virology; Eggs; Eggs (Food); Epidemics; Epidemiology; Farms; Hazards; Infection Control - economics; Infection Control - methods; Influenza; Influenza A virus - pathogenicity; Influenza in Birds - epidemiology; Influenza in Birds - virology; Medicine; Models, Economic; Mycobacterium bovis; netherlands; Packing; Poultry; risk; Salmonella; Sample preparation; Sampling; Sentinel Surveillance - veterinary; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Surveillance systems; System effectiveness; validation; Veterinary Science; Viruses; Yolk; United States > US; Netherlands
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033930

As low pathogenic avian influenza viruses can mutate into high pathogenic viruses the Dutch poultry sector implemented a surveillance system for low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) based on blood samples. It has been suggested that egg yolk samples could be sampled instead of blood samples to survey egg layer farms. To support future decision making about AI surveillance economic criteria are important. Therefore a cost analysis is performed on systems that use either blood or eggs as sampled material. The effectiveness of surveillance using egg or blood samples was evaluated using scenario tree models. Then an economic model was developed that calculates the total costs for eight surveillance systems that have equal effectiveness. The model considers costs for sampling, sample preparation, sample transport, testing, communication of test results and for the confirmation test on false positive results. The surveillance systems varied in sampled material (eggs or blood), sampling location (farm or packing station) and location of sample preparation (laboratory or packing station). It is shown that a hypothetical system in which eggs are sampled at the packing station and samples prepared in a laboratory had the lowest total costs (i.e. € 273,393) a year. Compared to this a hypothetical system in which eggs are sampled at the farm and samples prepared at a laboratory, and the currently implemented system in which blood is sampled at the farm and samples prepared at a laboratory have 6% and 39% higher costs respectively. This study shows that surveillance for avian influenza on egg yolk samples can be done at lower costs than surveillance based on blood samples. The model can be used in future comparison of surveillance systems for different pathogens and hazards.