Training veterinary personnel for effective identification and diagnosis of exotic animal diseases

Abstract

The requirements for exotic animal disease (EAD) training were considered at a workshop organized for those with responsibilities for EAD response management in the different states of Australia, with the objective of identifying the optimum strategy for training veterinarians to identify and act upon EADs. It was concluded that there should be specialized within-country training in EAD recognition for an elite group of diagnostic veterinarians who are required to recognize the major exotic diseases of animals, instigate the correct procedures to confirm the diagnosis of the disease, and undertake appropriate measures for effective initial management of the disease. The use of live, deliberately infected animals for demonstration purposes is not currently supported by any research indicating an improved learning outcome compared with that from alternatives, such as videos, necropsy specimens, and dedicated computer-aided learning packages. Therefore, ethical requirements to minimize the use of animals in teaching and research may prevent live-animal use. It is concluded that training should take place within each country via a course of instruction that includes an initial intensive course followed by continued professional development, with examination of knowledge at the end of each.