Molecular approaches to solving current and emerging problems in the epidemiology and diagnosis of Marek's disease in Australia. Marek's disease (MD) is a ubiquitous viral disease of chickens that is currently controlled in meat chickens by blanket vaccination of all chickens. However, as has happened overseas, the efficacy of the HVT vaccine being used in Australia is breaking down resulting in subclinical and clinical losses due to MD. To assist industry deal with this situation we propose to ....Molecular approaches to solving current and emerging problems in the epidemiology and diagnosis of Marek's disease in Australia. Marek's disease (MD) is a ubiquitous viral disease of chickens that is currently controlled in meat chickens by blanket vaccination of all chickens. However, as has happened overseas, the efficacy of the HVT vaccine being used in Australia is breaking down resulting in subclinical and clinical losses due to MD. To assist industry deal with this situation we propose to develop novel molecular methods for the quantification of Marek's disease viruses (MDV) in the host and the environment, to use these methods to design effective early monitoring systems for MD in broilers that predict disease and performance outcomes, and to develop an epidemiological model that will predict the spread and severity of MD as failure of vaccinal protection progresses.Read moreRead less
Retroviral invasion of the koala genome: prevalence, transmission and role in immunosuppressive disease. Koalas are a national symbol yet many of their populations are in decline as a result of habitat loss and disease. Lymphoid cancers and opportunistic infections are significant diseases in both captive and wild koala populations. We previously demonstrated that the recently identified koala retrovirus is associated with lymphoid cancer in koalas. This project will determine the distribution o ....Retroviral invasion of the koala genome: prevalence, transmission and role in immunosuppressive disease. Koalas are a national symbol yet many of their populations are in decline as a result of habitat loss and disease. Lymphoid cancers and opportunistic infections are significant diseases in both captive and wild koala populations. We previously demonstrated that the recently identified koala retrovirus is associated with lymphoid cancer in koalas. This project will determine the distribution of the virus in Australia, the mechanism of its spread and its effect on the immune function of koalas. This research will provide a foundation for better management of captive koalas and for conservation of wild koalas.Read moreRead less
Carbon nanotube based electrodes for rapid, dry electro-physiological measurements. Optimised electrical sensors with nanotechnology coatings will be developed for a device that farmers can use to pregnancy test their herd without the need for a vet. This will lead to greater improved management of beef and dairy cattle pregnancies and has been estimated to be worth over $100 million per year to the Australian beef industry.
Development of new tools for surveillance of chlamydial infections in sheep. This project aims to improve health in sheep and reduce on-farm losses for Australian producers, by developing new serological tests for chlamydial infections in sheep. These infections can result in significant on-farm losses and loss of trade in the live export industry. Currently, surveillance of chlamydial infections is hindered by outdated serological tools that are unreliable and difficult to interpret. The ser ....Development of new tools for surveillance of chlamydial infections in sheep. This project aims to improve health in sheep and reduce on-farm losses for Australian producers, by developing new serological tests for chlamydial infections in sheep. These infections can result in significant on-farm losses and loss of trade in the live export industry. Currently, surveillance of chlamydial infections is hindered by outdated serological tools that are unreliable and difficult to interpret. The serological tests to be developed aim to be species-specific tests to detect the most important chlamydial sheep pathogens. This in turn endeavours to improve domestic surveillance, reducing on-farm losses and costs, and improve market opportunities for Australian sheep exporters as well as informing veterinary populations on best practice treatment.Read moreRead less
Improving the diagnosis, management and control of chlamydial infections in Australian livestock. Chlamydial diseases, such as arthritis and encephalomyelitis, are associated with significant economic losses for Australian livestock producers. Effective surveillance and management of Chlamydia infections is problematic due to: the absence of epidemiological data; the lack of an accurate and easily interpretable diagnostic test; and the lack of an available vaccine. This project aims to evaluate ....Improving the diagnosis, management and control of chlamydial infections in Australian livestock. Chlamydial diseases, such as arthritis and encephalomyelitis, are associated with significant economic losses for Australian livestock producers. Effective surveillance and management of Chlamydia infections is problematic due to: the absence of epidemiological data; the lack of an accurate and easily interpretable diagnostic test; and the lack of an available vaccine. This project aims to evaluate factors associated with chlamydial disease in Australian livestock and thereby improve on-farm diagnosis. With the concomitant development of a chlamydial vaccine for sheep, this project aims to provide veterinarians and producers with important tools to reduce the on-farm impacts of chlamydial disease.Read moreRead less
Biotechnology and epidemiology to control nodavirus in barramundi aquaculture. Production of farmed barramundi has increased more than 1200% in the NT since 2001 but is threatened by nodavirus infection. Three industry partners, Darwin Aquaculture Centre, Marine Harvest and Berrimah Veterinary Laboratory will collaborate with The University of Sydney to:
1. control nodavirus infection
2. develop new technologies to detect nodavirus using immunoassay and surface enhanced laser desorption ionis ....Biotechnology and epidemiology to control nodavirus in barramundi aquaculture. Production of farmed barramundi has increased more than 1200% in the NT since 2001 but is threatened by nodavirus infection. Three industry partners, Darwin Aquaculture Centre, Marine Harvest and Berrimah Veterinary Laboratory will collaborate with The University of Sydney to:
1. control nodavirus infection
2. develop new technologies to detect nodavirus using immunoassay and surface enhanced laser desorption ionisation mass spectroscopy (SELDI)
3. develop an integrated disease control strategy based on epidemiological survey data, and ensure that it is practical and able to be widely adopted
By this means growth targets for barramundi aquaculture in northern Australia will be achieved.
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The epidemiology of canine gastrointestinal parasitic zoonoses in different community settings in Thailand. The dog's role in transmitting zoonotic gastrointestinal parasites to humans has been recognised as a significant public health problem worldwide. Surveillance data with regard to canine parasites in Thailand and its regional countries is largely lacking, especially with regard to the dog's role as a perpetuator of the liver and intestinal flukes. This project aims to provide an accurate ....The epidemiology of canine gastrointestinal parasitic zoonoses in different community settings in Thailand. The dog's role in transmitting zoonotic gastrointestinal parasites to humans has been recognised as a significant public health problem worldwide. Surveillance data with regard to canine parasites in Thailand and its regional countries is largely lacking, especially with regard to the dog's role as a perpetuator of the liver and intestinal flukes. This project aims to provide an accurate and comprehensive assessment of the risks these parasites pose to the public using a combination of conventional and novel molecular epidemiological tools. Successful completion of this project will provide a model for control programs to be generated in the SE Asian region.Read moreRead less
Devil Facial Tumour Disease: Cytogenetic Clues to Transmission and Development. Devil Facial Tumour Disease is a fatal cancer that is decimating Tasmanian devils. Preliminary work suggests that tumours from different animals have identical sets of highly abnormal chromosomes, including a giant marker chromosome. We will use DNA probes to 'paint' abnormal tumour chromosomes to discover markers for diagnosis, and identify genes contributing to tumour development and immune suppression. Most import ....Devil Facial Tumour Disease: Cytogenetic Clues to Transmission and Development. Devil Facial Tumour Disease is a fatal cancer that is decimating Tasmanian devils. Preliminary work suggests that tumours from different animals have identical sets of highly abnormal chromosomes, including a giant marker chromosome. We will use DNA probes to 'paint' abnormal tumour chromosomes to discover markers for diagnosis, and identify genes contributing to tumour development and immune suppression. Most importantly, we will test our hypothesis that tumours all arose from a single ancestral cancer cell that is transmitted between animals. A cellular transmission has frightening implications for spread of disease, but will allow us to develop appropriate therapeutic strategies to save a unique Australian marsupial from extinction.Read moreRead less
Chemo-prevention of tropical canine parasitoses and vector-borne diseases. This project will determine the prevalence and diversity of established, emerging and novel canine vector-borne agents and endoparasites in a tropical setting by using conventional and next generation molecular diagnostic tools. It will fill an important gap by providing independently-verified evidence on how well canine anti-parasitic products marketed in Australia and Asia by Bayer Animal Health, perform in high-infecti ....Chemo-prevention of tropical canine parasitoses and vector-borne diseases. This project will determine the prevalence and diversity of established, emerging and novel canine vector-borne agents and endoparasites in a tropical setting by using conventional and next generation molecular diagnostic tools. It will fill an important gap by providing independently-verified evidence on how well canine anti-parasitic products marketed in Australia and Asia by Bayer Animal Health, perform in high-infection pressure settings, as a chemo-preventative for these disease agents. Tropical regions spanning northern Australia and Southern Asia are highly conducive to a plethora of canine vector-borne and parasitic pathogens that cause significant morbidity and mortality in dogs. Many of these agents also pose a risk to public health. The outcomes will be directly translated to best-practice guidelines for the advancement of companion animal (and indirectly human) health and welfare.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE160100026
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$230,000.00
Summary
VetCompass: Big Data and Real-time Surveillance for Veterinary Science. VetCompass: big data and real-time surveillance for veterinary science:
The VetCompass data service intends to collect real-time records from veterinary clinics and aggregate them for researchers to interrogate. It aims to provide Australian researchers with sustainable and cost-effective access to authoritative data from hundreds of practitioners in Australia and the United Kingdom. These data will be essential for researc ....VetCompass: Big Data and Real-time Surveillance for Veterinary Science. VetCompass: big data and real-time surveillance for veterinary science:
The VetCompass data service intends to collect real-time records from veterinary clinics and aggregate them for researchers to interrogate. It aims to provide Australian researchers with sustainable and cost-effective access to authoritative data from hundreds of practitioners in Australia and the United Kingdom. These data will be essential for research on disease distribution and determinants, and surveillance and diagnostics that underpin evidence-based practice. The expected outcomes include identification of the most prevalent disorders and their causes and optimal treatments. The data may also revolutionise clinical auditing in Australia, help the veterinary profession to rank research priorities, and inform companion animal and equine curricula in our universities.Read moreRead less