Analysis of local spread of equine influenza in the Park Ridge region of Queensland.
Abstract: In 2007, an incursion of equine influenza (EI) occurred in Australia. Accurate maps of property boundaries were used to examine the pattern and mechanism of local spread of EI. This study focussed on a cluster of infected premises (IPs) at Park Ridge, a peri-urban suburb 26 km south of Brisbane, Queensland. The cluster recorded 437 IPs and 81% of these were not contiguous to a previously IP. The mean distance from each new IP to the closest previous IP was 0.85 +/- 1.50 km with a range of 0.01-12.94 km. Eighty-two percent of new IPs were within 1 km of a previous IP. The spatial mean for each week's new IPs showed a consistent trend of movement from east to west throughout the epizootic consistent with the predominant wind patterns. The findings were consistent with the conclusion that EI will routinely spread over 1-2 km via wind-borne aerosol.
Publication Date: 2009-02-10 PubMed ID: 19200296DOI: 10.1111/j.1865-1682.2008.01060.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Diagnosis
- Disease control
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Etiology
- Disease Management
- Disease Outbreaks
- Disease Surveillance
- Disease Transmission
- Disease Treatment
- Epidemiology
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Equine Science
- Horses
- Infectious Disease
- Influenza
- Public Health
- Respiratory Disease
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
- Virus
Summary
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This research explores how equine influenza (EI) spread across Park Ridge, a suburb in Queensland, Australia, in 2007. The study utilizes detailed property maps to scrutinize how the disease moved amongst different premises, finding that wind patterns likely contributed to its spread across distances of 1-2 kilometers.
Understanding the Spread of Equine Influenza in Park Ridge
The study investigated a major outbreak of equine influenza in the Park Ridge region of Queensland, Australia, in 2007. Using accurate maps of individual properties, researchers were able to trace the movement and spread of the illness.
- The analysis involved a cluster of infected premises (IPs) located in Park Ridge, a suburb situated 26km south of Brisbane.
- The cluster under investigation covered 437 infected properties.
- Interestingly, 81% of these infected properties were not directly adjoining a previously infected property, contradicting a straightforward contagion model.
Analyzing Disease Spread Using Geographic Distance and Wind Patterns
Researchers went in-depth to examine the patterns of how the disease spread, using geographic distances and observing prevailing wind patterns.
- The average distance between each new infected property and its closest previously infected property was 0.85km, with a range between 0.01km and 12.94km.
- A prominent proportion, 82% of newly infected properties, were situated within 1km of a preceding infected property.
- When grouped by week, the spatial mean of new infected premises had a consistent east-to-west movement trend matching the dominant wind patterns for the region.
Conclusion
The study concludes that windborne aerosols likely played a significant role in the spread of equine influenza. The consistent directional movement from east to west, corresponding with local wind patterns, supports this conclusion.
- This conclusion comes from a combination of the vast number of non-adjacent infections and the correlation of disease spread with wind patterns.
- The findings suggest that in certain conditions, EI can spread over distances of 1-2 km via windborne aerosols.
Cite This Article
APA
Davis J, Garner MG, East IJ.
(2009).
Analysis of local spread of equine influenza in the Park Ridge region of Queensland.
Transbound Emerg Dis, 56(1-2), 31-38.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1865-1682.2008.01060.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cluster Analysis
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / transmission
- Horses
- Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / epidemiology
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / transmission
- Orthomyxoviridae Infections / veterinary
- Queensland / epidemiology
Citations
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- Lu H, Guan R, Xia M, Zhang C, Miao C, Ge Y, Wu X. Very high-resolution remote sensing-based mapping of urban residential districts to help combat COVID-19. Cities 2022 Jul;126:103696.
- Alnaeem A, Shawaf T, Ali AM, Hemida MG. Clinical observations and molecular detection of Type-A influenza virus in some of the family Equidae in eastern Saudi Arabia winter-2019. Vet Res Commun 2021 Dec;45(4):423-430.
- Milwid RM, O'Sullivan TL, Poljak Z, Laskowski M, Greer AL. Validation of modified radio-frequency identification tag firmware, using an equine population case study. PLoS One 2019;14(1):e0210148.
- Corzo CA, Culhane M, Dee S, Morrison RB, Torremorell M. Airborne detection and quantification of swine influenza a virus in air samples collected inside, outside and downwind from swine barns. PLoS One 2013;8(8):e71444.
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- McGilvray TA, Stevens KB, Spence KL, Rosanowski SM, Slater J, Cardwell JM. Spatiotemporal patterns in British racing and equestrian sports: Implications for pathogen transmission. Equine Vet J 2026 Mar;58(2):497-507.
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