Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health

Impact Report

FY 2022
MISSION

The Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health (CEAH) provides applied and

innovative analyses to generate science-based information and solutions for

decision making around complex national animal health issues.

CEAH is made up of the following units:

National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS)

NAHMS is the statistical unit within Veterinary Services (VS) responsible for

population estimates related to animal health management and productivity.

NAHMS conducts national studies on the health and health management of

livestock, equine, aquaculture, and poultry populations within the United

States (U.S.) at regular intervals.

Program Coordination and Implementation (PCI)

PCI strengthens CEAH’s mission by supporting staff with communications and

editing support, project management, operations and logistics support, and

compliance.

Geospatial Analytics, Products, and Services (GAPS)

GAPS provides map-centric products and solutions, as well as geospatial

analyses that support emergency planning and response, disease risk

analyses, epidemiology investigations, disease monitoring and reporting, and

the overall mitigation and prevention of animal disease introduction and

spread in the U.S.

Surveillance Design and Analysis (SDA)

Through collaborative surveillance design, analysis, evaluation, and communication,

SDA develops and enhances animal disease surveillance. SDA provides practical and

timely surveillance solutions to meet customer needs, from single-premises sampling

plans to robust national-level surveillance systems, including the proposed National

List of Reportable Animal Diseases. SDA also serves as the World Organisation for

Animal Health (WOAH) Focal Point for U.S. animal disease reporting.

Transboundary Disease Analytics (TDA)

TDA identifies and characterizes global animal health hazards, assesses hazards

and strategies to prevent the entry of transboundary diseases into the United

States, conducts pathways assessments, and contributes to animal disease

preparedness and response planning, implementation, and evaluations.

Domestic Animal Health Analytics (DAHA)

DAHA supports domestic disease programs through risk analysis, epidemiologic

evaluations, and providing indemnity and compensation analyses and tools.

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CEAH PORTFOLIOS

Monitoring Domestic Animal

and Trends Disease Mitigation

Foreign Animal Disease

(FAD) Prevention/

Mitigation

Foreign Animal Disease 

(FAD) Response 

Planning and 

Implementation

GOALS FOR CEAH PORTFOLIOS

Provide focus for Coordinate and Improve CEAH's ability

CEAH's strategic prioritize workloads to manage a complex

planning efforts and projects within and array of projects and

across CEAH units services
Monitoring & Trends

Activities produce data and products characterizing:

Distributions of Disease, Host, or Vector Data

Animal Health Management and Biosecurity

Industry Trends

Antimicrobial Use and Stewardship
Created tools to enhance the accessibility 

of Avian Influenza Virus (AIV) information 

for stakeholders. In collaboration with 

Wildlife Services (WS), CEAH designed and 

published the Wild Bird Avian Influenza 

Surveillance Dashboard, displaying AIV results 

from samples collected through the USDA WS 

National Wildlife Disease Program. 

Contributed to scientific research 

literature to advance animal health 

practices. CEAH authors published 

manuscripts to improve understanding of 

giardia infections in preweaned dairy calves 

and improve the characterization of 

Salmonella species on goat operations, 

leveraging samples collected in the NAHMS 

Dairy 2014 and Goat 2019 studies.

Transformed aquaculture tools to 

support evolving stakeholder needs. CEAH 

revised the Comprehensive Aquaculture 

Health Program Standards decision trees 

and inspection guidance, a risk-based 

assessment tool to support premises disease 

freedom surveillance evaluations, and pilot 

tested a tool supporting the trade of shrimp 

production facilities. 

Increased availability of NAHMS study data 

for industry stakeholders. CEAH provided 

producers, industry, extension, and other 

stakeholders easier access to NAHMS study 

data through user-friendly, dynamic 

dashboards, such as the NAHMS Goat 2019 

Management Practices. CEAH also employed 

targeted infographics for data distribution, 

creating products on U.S. goat identification 

practices, agritourism, sheep predator and 

nonpredator death losses, and Enterococcus on 

U.S. beef operations. 

Provided national and international 

partners with timely animal and zoonotic 

disease threat analysis. CEAH performed 

weekly evaluations and updates of global 

emerging and reemerging animal and 

zoonotic diseases of consequence to the U.S. 

animal industry. CEAH delivered pertinent 

data to Wildlife Services, International 

Services, and National Veterinary Services 

Laboratories (NVSL), as well as to related 

international agencies, including WOAH and 

the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

of the United Nations.

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Supported Highly Pathogenic Avian 

Influenza (HPAI) mitigation efforts 

through data analysis and pattern 

identification for response operations. 

CEAH provided epidemiologic and modeling 

support to the Veterinary Services Incident 

Management Teams, National Incident 

Coordinator, and State, and local HPAI 

outbreak responses. By delivering data 

visualizations and epidemiological support 

to local outbreaks and potential 

phylogenetic clusters, CEAH provided 

leadership personnel with time-critical 

decision-making tools allowing for the 

optimal use of assets to maximize response 

and minimize economic impacts. 

Sustained antimicrobial use and 

resistance study partnership to boost 

commercial swine population health.

CEAH continued a collaborative effort to 

study antimicrobial use and resistance on 

commercial swine operations in the 

Midwest through a public-private 

partnership. A year-one findings report 

from this cooperative agreement was 

accepted for publication in the WOAH

Quarterly Scientific and Technical Review. 

Initiated NAHMS Bison 2022 study in 

conjunction with industry partners. CEAH 

initiated a national study focusing on ranched 

bison health and management in the U.S. This 

study will provide stakeholders with valuable 

information on bison industry production 

practices and challenges, including animal 

management and welfare, nutrition and range 

management, and environmental 

stewardship. Additionally, the study will look 

at: health management and biosecurity 

practices; producer-reported occurrence of 

select health problems, associated 

management practices or actions, and causes 

of bison mortality; and prevalence of select 

economically important pathogens for bison 

and quality of pasture forage. 

Advanced awareness of animal health 

management through data collection and 

analysis. By fulfilling its responsibilities to 

collect promised information on U.S. bison, 

swine, and feedlot operations, CEAH - in 

conjunction with field animal health 

technicians and veterinarians - provided 

materials to increase the understanding of 

health, management, and antimicrobial 

stewardship in these livestock sectors. 

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Domestic Animal

Disease Mitigation

Activities include:

Epidemiologic and Ecologic Analysis

Surveillance Design and Evaluation

Economic Analysis

Evaluation of Domestic Animal Health Strategies
Responded to the 2022 HPAI threat 

with the swift development of risk 

models and surveillance tools. In 

collaboration with United States 

Geological Survey (USGS) and University 

of Maryland partners, CEAH provided the 

preliminary HPAI spillover risk model 

showing spillover risk by county within 

the United States (U.S.). Through 

evaluation of model accuracy using 2022 

HPAI outbreak data, CEAH showed the 

risk model performs well at the county 

scale. CEAH also provided surveillance 

design and implementation and WOAH 

disease reporting across various 

domesticated and wild species, 

supporting domestic producers, State 

partners, wildlife organizations, and 

international trade activities for 94 avian 

and non-avian HPAI-affected species.

Maintained a leading role in 

monitoring current and emerging viral 

vulnerabilities in animal operations. 

CEAH facilitated the development of 

updated case definitions for SARS-CoV-2 

and Mpox for animals. These case 

definitions are used by local, State, and 

federal animal health and public health 

officials to determine when cases are 

detected, impacting disease surveillance 

and reporting efforts. 

Performed continuous improvement 

updates to the national bovine 

brucellosis surveillance plan. Through 

support for USDA brucellosis surveillance 

program design, CEAH continues to 

provide the foundation for market 

confidence in the health of U.S. cattle. 

Improved accessibility of goat scrapie 

information for stakeholders. CEAH 

provided data on the genetic variability of 

codons related to scrapie susceptibility in 

U.S. goats through the analysis of genetic 

samples collected from 6,029 goats on 

654 farms during the Goat 2019 study. 

CEAH also published an infographic 

about scrapie and genotyping on the 

NAHMS website derived from the 2021 

published manuscript, allowing easier 

access to selected information.

Created Cattle Fever Tick (CFT) 

modeling framework to support 

transparent, data-driven program 

decisions. CEAH proposed and 

developed a novel modeling framework 

to assist in the CFT program’s 

assessment of surveillance, development 

of surveillance guidance, generation of 

program metrics, identification of areas 

of concern for infestations, and 

evaluation of mitigations. 

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Provided expertise for USDA 

indemnity appeal panel reviews 

facilitating the decision process. CEAH 

participated in indemnity appeal panel 

reviews for poultry, quail, cattle, and 

cervid appeals. The panels generated 

timely recommendations for USDA, 

providing a consistent mechanism for 

payment decisions when a producer 

appeals the standard indemnity 

valuation. These efforts help ensure 

continued producer participation in 

disease reporting and control activities.

Led VS response on Mycoplasma bovis 

(M. bovis) affected bison herds by

closely working with impacted Tribes.

CEAH addressed concerns from the USDA 

Office of Tribal Relations regarding the 

high mortality and spread of M. bovis on

bison herds. Through active outreach to

Tribes on this topic, CEAH expanded 

USDA Tribal relations and improved 

understanding of M. bovis in bison herds.

Accomplished bovine tuberculosis

(bTB) Test and Remove modeling for

four herds across the Nation. Through

bTB test and remove modeling, CEAH

provided direction on the most effective

and cost-efficient path for control of bTB

outbreaks for affected herds.

Provided animal health officials with a 

valuable digital dashboard for equine 

disease tracking. CEAH designed and 

published the Equine Arboviral Disease 

Surveillance Dashboard for State animal 

health officials that displays eastern 

equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile 

Virus (WNV) cases utilizing Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

Arbonet data. The dashboard 

dramatically reduces time spent sharing 

and verifying equine arboviral case data 

while offering users added visualization 

of the information through customizable 

tables and maps.

Improved midge modeling data to 

enhance animal health decision 

making processes. CEAH developed the 

best predictors for modeling habitat 

suitability and site occupancy based on 

weather conditions during data 

collection. This modeling allows for 

informed decision-making on animal 

diseases spread by midges, such as 

bluetongue and African horse sickness. 

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Foreign Animal Disease

Prevention / Mitigation

Activities include:

Surveillance Design & Evaluation

Global Monitoring and Situational Awareness

Risk Analyses

Evaluation of FAD Mitigation/Control Options
Provided reported U.S. animal disease 

data to national and international 

partners. U.S. disease reporting supports 

our national and international 

responsibilities to preserve safe trade, 

public health, food security, and sustainable 

socio-economic growth. CEAH submitted 

immediate, follow-up, and semesterly 

reports in the new World Animal Health 

Information System (WAHIS). 

Improved African Swine Fever (ASF) 

response efforts through surveillance 

and sampling. CEAH developed 

sampling guidance when using pooled 

specimens during ASF response, leading 

to incorporation into future response 

plans. CEAH used visual communication 

techniques, such as posters and 

abstracts, at multiple international 

conferences to summarize VS 

surveillance activities in Puerto Rico and 

the U.S. Virgin Islands. These efforts 

assist in protecting the U.S. pork 

industry from the devastating impact of 

an ASF incursion. Current estimates 

project ASF could lead to $15 billion to 

$50 billion in losses to the industry. 

Constructed the ASF Global Status 

Story Map providing an effective data 

tool for stakeholders. CEAH developed 

and published the ASF Global Status 

Story Map to provide ease of access to 

monthly disease map updates, notable 

changes in disease risk, epidemiology 

and other surveillance data, susceptible 

population maps, and additional 

information and documents of interest. 

Reviewed and revised animal health 

surveillance plans to meet current 

situational requirements. CEAH 

updated the national surveillance plan 

for swine hemorrhagic fevers and 

published the updated plan on the 

APHIS website. These updates included 

enhancements to support the WOAH 

protection zone established for Puerto 

Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. USDA 

surveillance programs continue to be 

the foundation for market confidence in 

the health of U.S. swine. 

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Foreign Animal Disease Response

Planning & Implementation

Activities include:

Improving FAD Response Plans

Assisting in Response Efforts

Geospatial Map Applications

Supporting Training Exercises
Published critical HPAI map products 

for enhanced situational awareness of 

virus impacts. Between February and 

September 2022, CEAH GAPS provided 

daily HPAI situational report map products 

and trade zone maps for 41 states, totaling 

over 800 situation reporting maps and 

more than 2,400 trade zone maps. The 

timely and accurate delivery of such a 

large volume of maps required innovative 

and automated solutions to develop and 

deliver these quality products for 

situational awareness and trade partner 

communications. 

Provided epidemiologic and modeling 

support for the HPAI 2022 outbreak. 

CEAH used national disease spread 

models for resource and budgetary 

planning, in addition to providing senior 

leadership weekly updates on descriptive 

and geospatial epidemiology of the 

outbreak. CEAH facilitated time of 

introduction modeling to inform farmlevel response planning, and supported in 

depth evaluation of phylogeneticallylinked clusters of cases. 

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Collaborated with aquaculture

stakeholders to assess the current 

viral risk to the industry. CEAH worked 

with the Aquaculture Commodity Health 

Group to protect and improve the 

health, quality, and marketability of the 

U.S. aquaculture industry by publishing 

the Decapod Iridescent Virus (DIV1) and 

Infectious Hypodermal and 

Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV) 

Rapid Risk Assessments, contributing to 

the safeguarding of the U.S. aquaculture 

industry. 

Provided expertise for USDA indemnity

appeal panel reviews. CEAH participated

in indemnity appeal panel reviews for 

poultry, quail, cattle, and cervids.
Other Activities

• FY 2022 Accomplishments that are not categorized

into a portfolio
Released over 35 peer-reviewed 

publications. CEAH subject matters 

experts developed and contributed to 

various publications featured in 

journals, manuscripts, and academic 

research papers. 

Served as World Organisation for 

Animal Health (WOAH) Collaborating 

Centre. CEAH is a WOAH Collaborating 

Centre for Modeling, Surveillance, and 

Risk Analysis. Centres are designated for 

a specific specialty within a focus area 

and work together with other WOAH 

Member Countries to safeguard animal 

health globally. CEAH's Collaborating 

Centre Annual report is available online 

through the WOAH website. 

Assisted with HPAI outbreak Federal

deployment efforts. CEAH deployed 

30 staff members to 11 different 

locations to help with HPAI outbreak 

response. 

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Participated in APHIS Website 

Modernization efforts to better 

organize NAHMS Study materials. 

NAHMS collaborated with the APHIS Web 

Team to create a functional, 508 

compliant data table to better organize 

documents. The data table currently 

stores over 750 NAHMS documents in a 

searchable table that can be sorted by 

commodity, study year, and document 

type. 

USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider, employer, and lender.

Photos provided by Canva.com and 

National Park Service.
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/SA-Epidemiology-AnimalHealth-CEAH