Use of a multiagency approach to eradicate New World screwworm flies from Big Pine Key, Florida, following an outbreak of screwworm infestation (September 2016-March 2017).

On September 30, 2016, the US National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed an autochthonous case of New World screwworm infestation in a Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) from Big Pine Key, Fla. This case marked the first identification of a sustained and reproducing population of New World screwworm flies in the United States since 1966. Multiple federal, state, and local government agencies collaborated to initiate a response to the outbreak. Efforts were successful in eradicating the flies from Florida.

Characterizing zoonotic disease detection in the United States: who detects zoonotic disease outbreaks & how fast are they detected?

There have been many calls for improved detection of zoonoses; research has not yet characterized zoonotic disease detection in the United States, in humans or animals. This research reviewed "who detects" zoonotic disease outbreaks and "how fast" they are detected. Definitions were operationalized based on existing literature and current practice. An outbreak database was created from publicly available records: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports and ProMed-Mail. Univariate and bivariate statistics--including chi-square tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Dunn's method were used for analysis. From an n = 101, results showed that laboratories (human health) detected 32.7% (n = 33) of the outbreaks; physicians/clinicians (human health) detected 18.8% (n = 19). The median time to was 13 days; mean was 31.7 (range = 0-492). There was a relationship between the type of the entity (laboratory, practitioner, or state agency) and how fast the outbreak was detected; state agencies were slower in detection. There was also a significant relationship between how fast an outbreak was detected and whether the outbreak occurred in multiple regions. This research provides important empirical evidence regarding U.S. zoonotic disease outbreak detection, highlighting the difficulty in rapid detection of multi-state outbreaks and the need for rapid, sensitive diagnostic testing and astute practitioners.

Governance and One Health: Exploring the Impact of Federalism and Bureaucracy on Zoonotic Disease Detection and Reporting.

The merits of One Health have been thoroughly described in the literature, but how One Health operates in the United States federal system of government is rarely discussed or analyzed. Through a comparative case-study approach, this research explores how federalism, bureaucratic behavior, and institutional design in the United States may influence zoonotic disease outbreak detection and reporting, a key One Health activity. Using theoretical and empirical literature, as well as a survey/interview instrument for individuals directly involved in a past zoonotic disease outbreak, the impacts of governance are discussed. As predicted in the theoretical literature, empirical findings suggest that federalism, institutional design, and bureaucracy may play a role in facilitating or impeding zoonotic disease outbreak detection and reporting. Regulatory differences across states as well as compartmentalization of information within agencies may impede disease detection. However, the impact may not always be negative: bureaucracies can also be adaptive; federalism allows states important opportunities for innovation. While acknowledging there are many other factors that also matter in zoonotic disease detection and reporting, this research is one of the first attempts to raise awareness in the literature and stimulate discussion on the intersection of governance and One Health.