The Project #NOVA

Start:	1 January 2018
Duration:	3.5 Years
Domain:	Foodborne Zoonoses
Keywords:	Surveillance assessment, food purchase data, evaluation modelling, syndromic surveillance, spatial risk mapping
Contact:	Jenny Frössling (SVA)

NOVA: Novel approaches for design and evaluation of cost-effective surveillance across the food chain

The NOVA project developed new surveillance tools and methods to harmonise and optimise the use of existing surveillance system data.

19 medical and veterinary institutions from 10 European countries collaborated for this project. The project consisted of five topics. Three of the five (1,2 and 3) topics concern the development of targeted surveillance tools, whereas the remaining two (4 and 5) topics concern integrative measures:

Syndromic Surveillance: to develop and implement tools to advance methods for real-time and near-real-time detection of early outbreak signals using existing surveillance data sources.
Spatial risk mapping: to advance the use of geographical mapping and analysis for understanding zoonotic disease risks to farm animals and humans.
Food purchase data: to create methods to acquire and analyse (large) datasets from food purchases from consumers and institutions, in order to develop the novel field of understanding of risks for sporadic disease and outbreaks via patterns in the food that we buy. The two integrative or overarching research umbrellas concern:
Mathematics and Economy: To develop advanced mathematical modelling tools for better analysis of existing surveillance data, with a particular aim of conducting cost-effect analyses.
Terminology, data sources and barriers: within a One Health perspective, to define common surveillance concepts, locate and make use of available data sources and understand impediments in the use of surveillance data and tools that may exist in some countries or sectors.

Project Outputs and Outcomes

The collaborative structure of NOVA enabled the development of several novel outputs that advance the use of modern surveillance and response principles across Europe. Moreover, these outputs have practical and cost-saving impacts on how surveillance of existing and emerging zoonotic agents is being conducted within the EU.

A summary of outputs can be found on the NOVA story map.

In parallel to the strengthening of modeling and data frameworks, NOVA has started the process to incorporate new data sources in the everyday surveillance that our institutes are involved in. NOVA has concluded that modeling the full chain from primary production to the consumer, including environmental aspects, is possible but remains a challenge. NOVA collaborations confirm that a multidisciplinary approach is needed to combine and understand information from the different surveillance components.

OpenAire Publications

Publications

Boone, I., Rosner, B., Lachmann, R., D’Errico, M. L., Iannetti, L., Van der Stede, Y., Boelaert, F., Ethelberg, S., Eckmanns, T., Stark, K., Haller, S., & Wilking, H. (2021). Healthcare-associated foodborne outbreaks in high- income countries: a literature review and surveillance study, 16 OECD countries, 2001 to 2019. Eurosurveillance. 26, 2001278. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.41.2001278

Boone, I., D’Errico, M., Iannetti, L., Scavia, G., Tozzoli, R., Ethelberg, S., Eckmanns, T., Stark, K., Wilking, H. & Haller, S. (2023). Catering of high-risk foods and potential of stored food menu data for timely outbreak investigations in healthcare facilities, Italy and Germany. Epidemiology & Infection. 151, E61. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268823000468

Swanson, D., Koren, C., Hopp, P., Jonsson, M.E., Rø,G. I., White, R. A., Grøneng, G. M. (2022). A One Health real-time surveillance system for nowcasting Campylobacter gastrointestinal illness outbreaks, Norway, week 30 2010 to week 11 2022. Euro Surveillance. 27(43): 2101121. Available at: https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.43.2101121

Buschhardt, Tasja., Günther, Taras., Skjerdal, Taran., Torpdahl, Mia., Gethmann, Jörn., Filippitzi, Maria-Eleni., Maassen, Catharina., Jore, Solveig., Ellis-Iversen, Johanne. (2021). A one health glossary to support communication and information exchange between the human health, animal health and food safety sectors. One Health, 13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2021.100263

Rosendal, T., Widgren, S., Ståhl, K., Frössling, J. (2020). Modelling spread and surveillance of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in the Swedish cattle trade network. Preventative Veterinary Medicine. 183, 105152. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2020.105152

Apenteng, OO., Arnold, ME., Vigre, H. (2020). Using stochastic dynamic modelling to estimate the sensitivity of current and alternative surveillance program of Salmonella in conventional broiler production. Scientific Reports, 10, pp. 19441. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-76514-3

Teng, K. T., Martinez Avilés, M., Ugarte-Ruiz, M., Barcena, C., de la Torre, A., Lopez, G., Moreno, M. A., Dominguez, L., & Alvarez, J. (2020). Spatial Trends in Salmonella Infection in Pigs in Spain. Frontiers in veterinary science, 7, 345. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00345

Bosch, J., Iglesias, I., Martínez, M., de la Torre, A. (2020). Climatic and topographic tolerance limits of wild boar in Eurasia: implications for their expansion. Geography, Environment, Sustainability, 13(1), pp.107-114. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24057/2071-9388-2019-52

Helmuth, IG., Espenhain, L., Ethelberg, S., Jensen, T., Kjeldgaard, J., Litrup, E., Schjørring, S., Müller, L. (2019). An outbreak of monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium associated with raw pork sausage and other pork products, Denmark 2018–19. Epidemiology and Infection, 147, pp. e315. DOI: doi:10.1017/S0950268819002073

Alvarez J., Lopez G., Muellner P., de Frutos C., Ahlstrom C., Serrano T., Moreno MA., Duran M., Saez JL., Dominguez L., Ugarte-Ruiz M.(2019) Identifying emerging trends in antimicrobial resistance using Salmonella surveillance data in poultry in Spain. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 67(1), pp. 250-262. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/tbed.13346

Martínez-Avilés, M., Garrido-Estepa, M., Álvarez, J., de la Torre., A. (2019). Salmonella Surveillance Systems in Swine and Humans in Spain: A Review. Veterinary Sciences, 6(1), 20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci6010020

Garrido-Estepa, M., Latasa, P., Ordóñez-León, G.Y. et al. Non-Typhi, non-Paratyphi Salmonella-related hospitalisations in Spain: trends, clinical aspects, risk factors for worse prognosis and hospital costs (2018). European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, 38(2), pp. 337-346. DOI: 10.1007/s10096-018-3433-1

Møller Frederik T, Mølbak Kåre, Ethelberg Steen. Analysis of consumer food purchase data used for outbreak investigations, a review. (2018). EuroSurveillance, 23(24) DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2018.23.24.1700503