Epidemiology The Section for Epidemiology develops models for the efficient monitoring and combating of di-seases 18 in livestock, aquaculture facilities and wild fauna. Antibiotic use and vectors such as ticks, mosquitoes and midges are all accorded special emphasis. Veterinary epidemiology combines biostatistical and mathematical models in efforts to maximize the value of information in livestock populations. This plays a significant role in the prevention, control and combating of infectious livestock diseases in Denmark. The reason for this is that trade in animals, ingredients and food on the global market is inevitably increasing the risk of infectious diseases entering and spreading in the Danish livestock population. Data collection and processing The section also researches into methods for processing data while taking into account the nume-rous elements of uncertainty that often exist. Considerable challenges are linked to the use of data for purposes other than the one for which they were collected, but it is possible to combine data from multiple sources/registers and thus deal with some of the problems. In connection with this research, a lot of work is done on evaluating surveillance systems to optimize cost-benefits on the resources invested in surveillance. Development and implementation of epidemiological evaluation studies of diagnostic tests also constitute a core area in the section. Globalization of vectors and diseases A cocktail of climate and environmental changes and steadily increasing globalization has resulted in epidemics of vector-borne diseases among animals, such as Bluetongue in Europe, as well as outbreaks of human illnesses such as West Nile Virus in North America. It is therefore essential to research theoretical models of spread of infectious disease, and simultaneously to estimate the expected effect of different control strategies intended to prevent infection. The section is a Collaborating Center for Research and Training in Population Animal Health Diag-nosis and Surveillance Systems under OIE – The World Organisation for Animal Health. Head of Section for Epidemiology Nils Toft ntoft@vet.dtu.dk
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