Dear Paul,
I agree with much of what you said here, except possibly the need for improved lab-based technologies. As a lab person, I may be talking myself out of possible jobs here, but actually the lab tools we have are very good, if not always available in all places. The vaccines that we have are effective. The other subject areas that you list are much more demanding in terms of what we need to do.

Can I mention one subject are that could easily get overlooked, which was raised by Andre Gagnou, though as one of a long list of topics, and that is “Training of field staff for recognition of PPR, , early warning and early reaction”. PPR can be difficult to pin down as an exact set of symptoms, and, especially now, while the virus is spreading, it will be important to have good educational materials (preferably language independent) to give out to various educational/awareness programmes. I know that to some extent this comes under disease surveillance, but it is easy to overlook in the big picture of surveillance programmes and laboratory testing. We need the livestock keepers fully on board, and that means we need to get a simple educational package that can be taken into the field, and presented by local vets in local languages.

Thanks for a great job,
Michael




Michael D Baron PhD
Group Leader, Paramyxo&Bunyaviruses
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From: Establishment of a PPR Global Research and Expertise Network (PPR-GREN) [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul Rossiter
Sent: 20 February 2014 11:32
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: PPR-GREN Themes - suggestions from the moderator.

Dear Colleagues,
We have about ten contributions specifically concerning the main themes for PPR-GREN.  The emphasis from these submissions is shown in this next table.
Laboratory research

Epidemiology*

Socio-economic impact

Implementation

Co-ordination

Vaccine and related issues

Diagnosis

Contingency plans

7

10

8

7

7

7

7

2

*Includes Dr Richard Kock’s contribution on PPR in species other than sheep and goats.
I have some suggestions for a limited number of thematic groups.  I think they incorporate the above, they are not cast in stone, and the number is not fixed.
•         Justification (for global progressive control of PPR)
•         Coordination and implementation of a global strategy (the final strategy to be developed and elaborated by the “OIE-FAO GF-TADS Working Group on PPR” using input from PPR-GREN.
•         Disease surveillance and epidemiology
•         Immunity and vaccination
•         Improved laboratory-based technologies
I have deliberately chosen the terms disease surveillance and immunity to start topics 3 and 4 above. To me these are the two effector arms of progressive control with disease surveillance and its interpretation dependent on our understanding of the epidemiology of PPR, and immunity the mechanism that eliminates the virus and which we induce with strategically applied vaccine.
One of the intended outputs from this e-conference or PPR-GREN is to promote innovation and research.   All five of these themes will require either cutting edge laboratory science and/or analytical and innovative thinking.   Very briefly,  Justification will benefit from detailed socio-economic analysis that is not currently available. Coordination and implementation needs serious thinking outside the box if we are to address the hundreds of millions of animals that we will target as well as the training and stakeholder involvement that will be needed. Disease surveillance and epidemiology has a big requirement for new knowledge about the biology of the virus itself and the disease it causes, on the role of other species, clinical signs, mild disease, and computer modelling to name a few. Diagnosis (clinical and laboratory based) would fall within this theme because it backstops disease surveillance.  Immunity and vaccination needs research into the effect on herd immunity of small ruminant replacement rates, the best methods of vaccine delivery in targeted areas, how best to protect livestock in non-target areas, appropriate seromonitoring, production and QC of exisiting vaccines,  and so on. Improved laboratory-based technologies will focus on the development of new vaccines and new diagnostics, their field trials and extension.  Understandably, there will considerable interaction between groups.
Separately,  I hope to take one of the ten submissions and show how the themes suggested by it might fit into the ones I suggest above.
I look forward to your comments, favourable and otherwise.
Kind regards,
Paul Rossiter, Moderator.




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