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BIOSECURITY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES

The following research areas capture most of NCEPH's current work in this theme.

1. Epidemiology of Biosecurity and infectious diseases
The emergence of SARS and the potential threat to humans from avian influenza has motivated us to work on preparedness for the emergence of newly-emerged infectious diseases, the emergence of resistant strains of endemic infectious diseases and other epidemiological aspects of biosecurity. This includes studies of the control and management infectious diseases in the Asia-Pacific region, with a particular focus on tuberculosis and vector borne disease.

2. Quantitative Infectious Disease Epidemiology
We develop new methods of infectious disease epidemiology that account for the transmission of infectious diseases, including the use of mathematical transmission models, analyses of infectious disease data, design of vaccine trials and estimation of vaccine efficacy. We apply these methods to emerging and vaccine-preventable infectious diseases.

3. Foodborne Diseases
Expanding food distribution networks increase the need to safeguard our food supply by a better understanding of predictors and sources of foodborne diseases. Our current work is determining the burden of gastroenteritis in Australia and associations between foodborne disease and environmental variables.