Newcastle University

The group has an interest in analysing the epidemiology of livestock and wildlife disease with a particular focus on disease spread in heterogeneous systems. Our  main areas of interest are endemic and zoonotic disease. We focus on four main disease systems:

•  Endemic disease in  broiler production, where we have research funding from BBSRC, Food Standards Agency and EU investigating the factors influencing colonisation and spread of Campylobacter in broiler flocks.
•  The epidemiology of bovine TB in badgers and livestock. Here we are interested in investigating spread as well as methods for mitigating against the disease threat through management and use of vaccines
•  The epidemiology of brood disease in honey-bees. We are interested in the spatial dynamics of disease and have had contracts from Defra to investigate American Foul Brood inJersey. We are also involved in BBSRC funded research on the endemic European Foul Brood modelling disease dynamics at the National scale.
•  Poxvirus in squirrels. This virus is believed to be carried by grey squirrel and is considered to responsible for the decline in red squirrel in theUK, which are highly susceptible. We have developed modelling systems for predicting the spread and management of the disease through manipulation of habitat and population.  This research has been funded in various ways since 1996 from Forestry Commission

 

Current Projects

 

CamCon: Improved Campylobacter control

Biology and control of Campylobacter in the chicken supply chain

Production systems, bird welfare and endemic disease affect the susceptibility of chickens to Campylobacter

Development of accurate predictive models for the assessment of the survival of Campylobacter jejuni under food-relevant conditions 

Modelling systems for managing bee disease: the epidemiology of European foulbrood

 

Recent Projects

Spatial and temporal analysis of cattle herd breakdowns in the RBCT

Badger Vaccination Study

 

Related Papers

 

• Mill AC, Rushton SP, Shirley MDF, Smith GC, Mason GC, Brown MC and Budge GE. Clustering and persistence of a pollinator brood disease: Epidemiology of American Foulbrood. Environmental Microbiology. 2013. doi:10.1111/1462-2920.12292
• Mill AC, Rushton SP, Shirley MDF, Murray AWA, Smith GC, Delahay RJ, McDonald RA. Farm-scale risk factors for bovine tuberculosis incidence in cattle herds during the Randomised Badger Culling Trial. Epidemiology and Infection 2012,140(2), 219-230.
• Chambers MA, Rogers F, Delahay RJ, Lesellier S, Ashford R, Dalley D, Gowtage S, Dave D, Palmer S, Brewer J, Crawshaw T, Clifton-Hadley R, Carter S, Cheeseman C, Hanks C, Murray A, Palphramand K, Pietravalle S, Smith GC, Tomlinson A, Walker NJ, Wilson GJ, Corner LAL, Rushton SP, Shirley MDF, Gettinby G, McDonald RA, Hewinson RG.Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination reduces the severity and progression of tuberculosis in badgers. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 2011, 278(1713), 1913-1920.
• Jorgensen F, Ellis-Iversen FJ, Rushton S, Bull S, Harris SA, Bryan SJ, Gonzalez A, Humphrey TJ. Influence of Season and Geography on Campylobacter jejuni andC. coli Subtypes in Housed Broiler Flocks Reared in Great Britain. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 2011, 77, 3741-3748.
• Chambers MA, Rogers F, Delahay RJ, Lesellier S, Ashford R, Dalley D, Gowtage S, Dave D, Palmer S, Brewer J, Crawshaw T, Clifton-Hadley R, Carter S, Cheeseman C, Hanks C, Murray A, Palphramand K, Pietravalle S, Smith GC, Tomlinson A, Walker NJ, Wilson GJ, Corner LAL, Rushton SP, Shirley MDF, Gettinby G, McDonald RA, Hewinson RG. Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination reduces the severity and progression of tuberculosis in badgers. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences 2011, 278(1713), 1913-1920.
• Mill AC, Rushton SP, Shirley MDF, MurrayAWA, Smith GC, Delahay RJ, McDonald RA. Farm-scale risk factors for bovine tuberculosis incidence in cattle herds during the Randomised Badger Culling Trial. Epidemiology and Infection 2011, (epub ahead of print).
• Rushton SP, Humphrey TJ, Shirley MDF, Bull S, Jorgensen F. Campylobacter in housed broiler chickens: a longitudinal study of risk factors. Epidemiology and Infection 2009, 137(8), 1099-1110.
• Wilkinson D, Bennett R, McFarlane I, Rushton S, Shirley M, Smith G. Cost-benefit analysis model of badger (Meles meles) culling to reduce herd tuberculosis breakdowns in Britain, with particular reference to badger perturbation. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 2009, 45(4), 1062–1088.
• Mathews F, Lovett L, Rushton S, Macdonald DW. Bovine tuberculosis in cattle: Reduced risk on wildlife-friendly farms. Biology Letters 2006, 2(2), 271-274.
• Shirley MDF, Rushton SP. The impacts of network topology on disease spread.Ecological Complexity 2005, 2(3), 287-299.
• Shirley MDF, Rushton SP. Where diseases and networks collide, Lessons form the Foot and Mouth Disease in UK 2001. Epidemiology and Infection 2005,133 6 1023-1032.
• Sainsbury AW, Deaville R, Lawson B, Cooley WA, Farelly SSJ, Stack MJ, Duff P, McInnes CJ, Gurnell J, Russell PH, Rushton SP, Pfeiffer DU, Nettleton P, Lurz PWW. Poxviral Disease in Red Squirrels Sciurus vulgaris in the UK: Spatial and Temporal Trends of an Emerging Threat. EcoHealth 2008, 5(3), 305-316.
• Gurnell J, Rushton SP, Lurz PWW, Sainsbury A, Nettleton P, Shirley MDF, Bruemmer CM, Geddes N. Squirrel poxvirus: Landscape scale strategies for managing disease threat.Biological Conservation 2006, 131(2), 287-295.
• Shirley MDF, Rushton SP. The impacts of network topology on disease spread. Ecological Complexity 2005, 2(3), 287-299. In Press.
• Shirley MDF, Rushton SP, Smith G, South AB, Lurz PWW.Investigating the spatial dynamics of bovine tuberculosis in badger populations: Evaluating an individual-based simulation model. Ecological Modelling 2003, 167(1-2), 139-157.
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