Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

Data hub launched for vector-borne diseases
The project will be led by Imperial College London.
Project receives £1.5m in Government funding.

A new data hub has been created to help UK researchers and policymakers monitor and respond to vector-borne diseases.

The One Health Vector-Borne Diseases Hub will centralise data, making it easier to access and disseminate. The project will also aim to create networks to help researchers more easily share their findings with the relevant people.

With disease-carrying species expected to expand their habitats into temperate regions in the coming years, it is hoped the hub will make it easier to track the spread of diseases, forecast disease risk, and mitigate the impact on human and animal health.

The project has received £1.5m funding from Defra and UK Research and Innovation. It will be led by Imperial College London, alongside the University of Liverpool, the Pirbright Institute, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the UK Centre of Hydrology and Ecology are also involved in the project.

The first phase of the project will build the infrastructure needed to allow researchers to access and share data that is currently stored in separate data silos.

The second phase will aim to develop relationships between scientists and policymakers, adopting a One Health approach to help medical and veterinary researchers share data and discoveries. A new web platform is planned to aid communication, along with training sessions and events.

Principal investigator for the hub Dr Lauren Cator said: “To respond to vector-borne diseases we need to be able to rapidly share data and expertise about humans, animals, the vector species which transmit pathogens between them, and the environment.

“This project will provide new ways for the UK community to share data and support the development of new networks for using that data to tackle this emerging challenge. We are well-positioned to prepare ourselves for a future spillover or emergence event.”

Image © Shutterstock

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Free CPD announced for BVNA members

News Story 1
 Zoetis is to present a CPD event for free to members of the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA).

Led by veterinary consultant Ruth Moxon, the one-hour online session is designed to help veterinary nurses discuss parasiticide options with clients. It will advise on structuring recommendations, factors for product choice and moving away from 'selling'.

'How do you recommend parasite treatments to your clients?' will be presented on Tuesday, 20 May at 7.30pm. It is free for BVNA members, with £15.00 tickets for non-members.

Veterinary nurses can email cpd@bvna.co.uk to book their place. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
DAERA to reduce BVD 'grace period'

DAERA has reminded herd keepers of an upcoming reduction to the 'grace period' to avoid BVD herd restrictions.

From 1 May 2025, herd keepers will have seven days to cull any BVD positive or inconclusive animals to avoid restrictions being applied to their herd.

It follows legislation introduced on 1 February, as DAERA introduces herd movement restrictions through a phased approach. Herd keepers originally had 28 days to cull BVD positive or inconclusive animals.

DAERA says that, providing herd keepers use the seven-day grace period, no herds should be restricted within the first year of these measures.

Additional measures, which will target herds with animals over 30 days old that haven't been tested for BVD, will be introduced from 1 June 2025.

More information is available on the DAERA website.