Disease surveillance in England and Wales, July 2017.

This research article presents the Disease Surveillance report for July 2017 by the Animal and Plant Health Agency in England and Wales. It discusses various health threats including the notifiable status of porcine epidemic diarrhea, updates on international disease threats and other scanning surveillance network highlights.

Notifiable Status of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea

• The research gives a reminder of the notifiable status of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea (PED), a viral disease affecting pigs. Notifiable diseases are any diseases that are required by law to be reported to government authorities. The reporting allows the authorities to monitor the disease, and provides early warning of possible outbreaks.
• In the context of this report, it stresses the importance of recognising and reporting instances of PED to help prevent and control outbreaks of this highly infectious disease, thus protecting the swine industry and mitigating the economic impact.

Highlights from Scanning Surveillance Network

• The report also shares highlights from the scanning surveillance network. This refers to the systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of data in order to detect and respond to disease outbreaks.
• While specific details are not provided, these highlights likely include updates on disease incidence and prevalence, insights into disease trends, and reports on any unusual or unexpected disease events.

Update on International Disease Threats

• This section of the report gives an overview of the disease threats beyond England and Wales’ national borders that have implications for animal health in these countries.
• The report likely discusses diseases that are currently common or emerging in other parts of the world and could potentially spread to England and Wales.

Review of Animal Health Threats by the Veterinary Risk Group

• Finally, the report presents a review of animal health threats by the Veterinary Risk Group, a collaborative multi-agency group devoted to analysing and informing about disease risks that may pose a significant threat to the United Kingdom’s animals.
• This section likely includes updated assessments of the risks posed by different diseases, as well as recommendations for risk management and disease control.