Project: Linking Animal Health and Food Safety Data to Human Health

Health Infostructure Support Program

Background

Gaps in the current national surveillance infrastructure between food safety data, animal disease data and the occurrence of human health events need to be closed. Every year, there are many Canadian fatalities as a result of the consumption of food contaminated with enteric pathogens such as Salmonella spp or E.coli. Determining spatial and temporal relationships between the occurrence of human disease and the presence of pathogens in animals or food is crucial to timely, appropriate and successful intervention.

Project Description

The project plans to link strategic surveillance data relating to food, animals and humans by linking databases compiled by key government and university health management or service delivery agencies. The project will also examine the spatial and temporal relationship between human health events, drug residues, anti-microbial resistance and pathogens in animals and food. The project deals with an issue identified as a priority by the World Health Organization Advisory Committee on Health Research.

Project Funding under HISP: $375,222.00

Project Management: University of Guelph

For further information contact:

Dr. Beverly McEwen
Animal Health Laboratory
University of Guelph
P.O. Box 3612
Guelph, Ontario
N1H 6R8
Tel: (519) 824-4120 Ext.: 4537
Fax: (519) 821-8072
bmcewen@lsd.uoguelph.ca