Epidemiology

Epidemiology is based at Pirbright Laboratory, where the focus is on the occurrence, transmission and control of exotic viral diseases, ones that do not normally occur in the UK. That said, the global disease situation is far from static. Modern trade practices are bringing once far-away diseases nearer to our shores, and climate change is making our environment more conducive to some of them establishing themselves in the UK.

The arrival of bluetongue in 2007 is an example of both of these factors operating. Research within the Division is eclectic, including fundamental analysis of viruses, elucidation of the disease process (pathogenesis), including those caused by arthropod-borne viruses, development of vaccines and diagnostics, and the application of the latter for diagnosis. The nine International Reference Laboratories provided by IAH Pirbright operate within this Division.

Groups and Research Leaders

Vesicular Diseases Control - David Paton
Vector-borne Diseases Programme - Philip Mellor, Peter Mertens & Chris Oura
Diagnosis of Vesicular Diseases - Nigel Ferris
Molecular Characterisation & Diagnostics Group - Don King
Pathogenesis of Vesicular Diseases - Zhidong Zhang
FMD Vaccine Group - Paul Barnett
FMD Vaccine Differentiation Group - Satya Parida
Mathematical Biology Group - Simon Gubbins