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Senior Scientist or Principal Investigator
01 September 2018 - 01 September 2021
Post Doctoral Researcher
01 May 2016 - 01 August 2018
Others
01 April 2013 - 01 May 2016
Graduate Student or Post Graduate
01 March 2010 - 01 February 2013
Veterinary epidemiologist at the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen), where I am applying different methods on epidemiology, risk assessment, biostatistics and geographical information systems within the Animal Health Unit.
SARS-CoV-2 infection is the cause of COVID-19 in humans. In April 2020, SARS-CoV-2 infection in farmed mink (Neovision vision) occurred in the Netherlands. The first outbreaks in Denmark were detected in June 2020 in three farms. A steep increase in the number of infected farms occurred from September and onwards. Here, we describe prevalence data collected from 215 infected mink farms to characterize spread and impact of disease in infected farms. In one third of the farms, no clinical signs were observed. In farms with clinical signs, decreased feed intake, increased mortality and respiratory symptoms were most frequently observed, during a limited time period (median of 11 days). In 65% and 69% of farms, virus and sero-conversion, respectively, were detected in 100% of sampled animals at the first sampling. SARS-CoV-2 was detected, at low levels, in air samples collected close to the mink, on mink fur, on flies, on the foot of a seagull, and in gutter water, but not in feed. Some dogs and cats from infected farms tested positive for the virus. Chickens, rabbits, and horses sampled on a few farms, and wildlife sampled in the vicinity of the infected farms did not test positive for SARS-CoV-2. Thus, mink are highly susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2, but routes of transmission between farms, other than by direct human contact, are unclear.
Anette Boklund; Anne Sofie Hammer; Michelle Lauge Quaade; Thomas Bruun Rasmussen; Louise Lohse; Bertel Strandbygaard; Charlotte Sværke Jørgensen; Ann Sofie Olesen; Freja Broe Hjerpe; Heidi Huus Petersen; Tim Kåre Jensen; Sten Mortensen; Francisco F. Calvo-Artavia; Stine Kjær Lefèvre; Søren Saxmose Nielsen; Tariq Halasa; Graham J. Belsham; Anette Bøtner. SARS-CoV-2 in Danish Mink Farms: Course of the Epidemic and a Descriptive Analysis of the Outbreaks in 2020. Animals 2021, 11, 164 .
AMA StyleAnette Boklund, Anne Sofie Hammer, Michelle Lauge Quaade, Thomas Bruun Rasmussen, Louise Lohse, Bertel Strandbygaard, Charlotte Sværke Jørgensen, Ann Sofie Olesen, Freja Broe Hjerpe, Heidi Huus Petersen, Tim Kåre Jensen, Sten Mortensen, Francisco F. Calvo-Artavia, Stine Kjær Lefèvre, Søren Saxmose Nielsen, Tariq Halasa, Graham J. Belsham, Anette Bøtner. SARS-CoV-2 in Danish Mink Farms: Course of the Epidemic and a Descriptive Analysis of the Outbreaks in 2020. Animals. 2021; 11 (1):164.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAnette Boklund; Anne Sofie Hammer; Michelle Lauge Quaade; Thomas Bruun Rasmussen; Louise Lohse; Bertel Strandbygaard; Charlotte Sværke Jørgensen; Ann Sofie Olesen; Freja Broe Hjerpe; Heidi Huus Petersen; Tim Kåre Jensen; Sten Mortensen; Francisco F. Calvo-Artavia; Stine Kjær Lefèvre; Søren Saxmose Nielsen; Tariq Halasa; Graham J. Belsham; Anette Bøtner. 2021. "SARS-CoV-2 in Danish Mink Farms: Course of the Epidemic and a Descriptive Analysis of the Outbreaks in 2020." Animals 11, no. 1: 164.
With the current trend in animal health surveillance toward risk-based designs and a gradual transition to output-based standards, greater flexibility in surveillance design is both required and allowed. However, the increase in flexibility requires more transparency regarding surveillance, its activities, design and implementation. Such transparency allows stakeholders, trade partners, decision-makers and risk assessors to accurately interpret the validity of the surveillance outcomes. This paper presents the first version of the Animal Health Surveillance Reporting Guidelines (AHSURED) and the process by which they have been developed. The goal of AHSURED was to produce a set of reporting guidelines that supports communication of surveillance activities in the form of narrative descriptions. Reporting guidelines come from the field of evidence-based medicine and their aim is to improve consistency and quality of information reported in scientific journals. They usually consist of a checklist of items to be reported, a description/definition of each item, and an explanation and elaboration document. Examples of well-reported items are frequently provided. Additionally, it is common to make available a website where the guidelines are documented and maintained. This first version of the AHSURED guidelines consists of a checklist of 40 items organized in 11 sections (i.e., surveillance system building blocks), which is available as a wiki at https://github.com/SVA-SE/AHSURED/wiki. The choice of a wiki format will allow for further inputs from surveillance experts who were not involved in the earlier stages of development. This will promote an up-to-date refined guideline document.
Arianna Comin; John Grewar; Gerdien van Schaik; Heinzpeter Schwermer; Julie Paré; Farouk El Allaki; Julian A. Drewe; Ana Carolina Lopes Antunes; Leah Estberg; Michael Horan; Francisco Calvo-Artavia; Abdurrahman Jibril; Marta Martinez Aviles; Yves Van Der Stede; Sotiria-Eleni Antoniou; Ann Lindberg. Development of Reporting Guidelines for Animal Health Surveillance—AHSURED. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 2019, 6, 1 .
AMA StyleArianna Comin, John Grewar, Gerdien van Schaik, Heinzpeter Schwermer, Julie Paré, Farouk El Allaki, Julian A. Drewe, Ana Carolina Lopes Antunes, Leah Estberg, Michael Horan, Francisco Calvo-Artavia, Abdurrahman Jibril, Marta Martinez Aviles, Yves Van Der Stede, Sotiria-Eleni Antoniou, Ann Lindberg. Development of Reporting Guidelines for Animal Health Surveillance—AHSURED. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2019; 6 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleArianna Comin; John Grewar; Gerdien van Schaik; Heinzpeter Schwermer; Julie Paré; Farouk El Allaki; Julian A. Drewe; Ana Carolina Lopes Antunes; Leah Estberg; Michael Horan; Francisco Calvo-Artavia; Abdurrahman Jibril; Marta Martinez Aviles; Yves Van Der Stede; Sotiria-Eleni Antoniou; Ann Lindberg. 2019. "Development of Reporting Guidelines for Animal Health Surveillance—AHSURED." Frontiers in Veterinary Science 6, no. : 1.
K. Marie McIntyre; Francisco Calvo-Artavia; Fernanda C. Dórea; Liza Rosenbaum Nielsen. SVEPM 2018 — Classic problems, future focus, and engagement of stakeholders in veterinary epidemiology and economics, Society of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine Conference, Tallinn, Estonia, 21st–23rd March 2018. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 2019, 167, 46 -47.
AMA StyleK. Marie McIntyre, Francisco Calvo-Artavia, Fernanda C. Dórea, Liza Rosenbaum Nielsen. SVEPM 2018 — Classic problems, future focus, and engagement of stakeholders in veterinary epidemiology and economics, Society of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine Conference, Tallinn, Estonia, 21st–23rd March 2018. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2019; 167 ():46-47.
Chicago/Turabian StyleK. Marie McIntyre; Francisco Calvo-Artavia; Fernanda C. Dórea; Liza Rosenbaum Nielsen. 2019. "SVEPM 2018 — Classic problems, future focus, and engagement of stakeholders in veterinary epidemiology and economics, Society of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine Conference, Tallinn, Estonia, 21st–23rd March 2018." Preventive Veterinary Medicine 167, no. : 46-47.
Due to an increased incidence of human infections, livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (LA-MRSA) in pigs and its spread into the human population has been a major public and political issue in Denmark. Similar concerns are also being raised about LA-MRSA in other Western European countries. At a time when the proportion of LA-MRSA-positive pig farms was low, Norway adopted a ‘trace and destroy’ strategy aimed at keeping LA-MRSA out of the pig population. However, to date, no country with a high proportion of LA-MRSA-positive pig herds has chosen to use an eradication strategy. This study analyses the cost and complexities of conducting an LA-MRSA eradication program in a situation where a large proportion of herds are positive. The total cost of the eradication program was estimated based on the following components: 1) planning, 2) monitoring and testing, 3) cleaning and disinfection, 4) production gains and losses, 5) net reduction in breeding exports, and 6) loss of genetic progress, including the costs of a mitigating caesarean section strategy in breeding herds. Costs were related to the depopulation of 1 million sows, to gilt supply (as this was an important limiting factor during an eradication program in Denmark), and to aggregated losses linked to a temporary halt on breeding progress. Using conservative assumptions, the total eradication costs were estimated at €1.8 billion, broken down into: planning costs (3%), monitoring and testing (6%), cleaning and disinfection (19%), production gains and losses (33%), net loss from breeding exports (19%) and loss of genetic progress (20%). The long-term effects of an LA-MRSA eradication program for Danish pig production were uncertain and were therefore not taken into account in the analysis.
J.V. Olsen; Francisco Calvo-Artavia; P. Sandøe; N. Toft. Modeling the cost of eradicating livestock-associated methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in countries with a high proportion of positive herds. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 2018, 158, 97 -105.
AMA StyleJ.V. Olsen, Francisco Calvo-Artavia, P. Sandøe, N. Toft. Modeling the cost of eradicating livestock-associated methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in countries with a high proportion of positive herds. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2018; 158 ():97-105.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJ.V. Olsen; Francisco Calvo-Artavia; P. Sandøe; N. Toft. 2018. "Modeling the cost of eradicating livestock-associated methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in countries with a high proportion of positive herds." Preventive Veterinary Medicine 158, no. : 97-105.
K. Marie McIntyre; Bart H.P. Van Den Borne; Francisco Calvo-Artavia; Gerdien van Schaik. SVEPM 2017—Recent developments and contemporary foci in veterinary epidemiology and economics, Society of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine conference Inverness, Scotland 29–31 March 2017. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 2018, 150, 133 -134.
AMA StyleK. Marie McIntyre, Bart H.P. Van Den Borne, Francisco Calvo-Artavia, Gerdien van Schaik. SVEPM 2017—Recent developments and contemporary foci in veterinary epidemiology and economics, Society of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine conference Inverness, Scotland 29–31 March 2017. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2018; 150 ():133-134.
Chicago/Turabian StyleK. Marie McIntyre; Bart H.P. Van Den Borne; Francisco Calvo-Artavia; Gerdien van Schaik. 2018. "SVEPM 2017—Recent developments and contemporary foci in veterinary epidemiology and economics, Society of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine conference Inverness, Scotland 29–31 March 2017." Preventive Veterinary Medicine 150, no. : 133-134.
Bart H.P. Van Den Borne; Francisco Calvo-Artavia; David Brodbelt; K. Marie McIntyre. SVEPM 2016 – Current multidisciplinary advances in veterinary epidemiology and economics, Society of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine conference Elsinore, Denmark 16–18 March 2016. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 2017, 139, 91 -92.
AMA StyleBart H.P. Van Den Borne, Francisco Calvo-Artavia, David Brodbelt, K. Marie McIntyre. SVEPM 2016 – Current multidisciplinary advances in veterinary epidemiology and economics, Society of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine conference Elsinore, Denmark 16–18 March 2016. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2017; 139 ():91-92.
Chicago/Turabian StyleBart H.P. Van Den Borne; Francisco Calvo-Artavia; David Brodbelt; K. Marie McIntyre. 2017. "SVEPM 2016 – Current multidisciplinary advances in veterinary epidemiology and economics, Society of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine conference Elsinore, Denmark 16–18 March 2016." Preventive Veterinary Medicine 139, no. : 91-92.
The objective was to study how surveillance for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) could be made more resource-effective in a bTB free country. A stochastic scenario tree model was developed to: (1) evaluate the sensitivity (CSe) of four surveillance system components (SSC) (i.e., meat inspection of slaughtered domestic cattle, farmed deer and pigs, and tuberculin testing of adult export cattle) given that bTB would enter one of these components, (2) estimate the probability of freedom (PFree) from bTB over time, and (3) evaluate how future alternative programmes based on visual meat inspection would affect the confidence in freedom from bTB at the very low animal-level design prevalence 0.0002% and a low probabilities of introduction (1%). All, except the export cattle component reached a PFree above 96% within five years. The PFree was slightly reduced if surveillance was changed to visual inspection, e.g., PFree was reduced from 96.5% to 94.3% in the cattle component, and from 98.5% to 97.7% in the pig component after 24 years. In conclusion, visual meat inspection of pigs and cattle will only reduce the confidence in freedom from bTB slightly. However, with negligible probability of introduction (0.1%) the PFree could be maintained well above 99% in the cattle, pigs and deer components, which highlights the importance of rigid testing and quarantine procedures in trade of livestock.
Francisco Fernando Calvo-Artavia; Lis Alban; Liza R. Nielsen. Evaluation of Surveillance for Documentation of Freedom from Bovine Tuberculosis. Agriculture 2013, 3, 310 -326.
AMA StyleFrancisco Fernando Calvo-Artavia, Lis Alban, Liza R. Nielsen. Evaluation of Surveillance for Documentation of Freedom from Bovine Tuberculosis. Agriculture. 2013; 3 (3):310-326.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Fernando Calvo-Artavia; Lis Alban; Liza R. Nielsen. 2013. "Evaluation of Surveillance for Documentation of Freedom from Bovine Tuberculosis." Agriculture 3, no. 3: 310-326.
Current EU regulation requires that every bovine carcass is examined for bovine cysticercosis (BC) at meat inspection. This is costly and might be superfluous at low BC prevalence. However, from a consumer view-point it may be important to identify and manage infected carcasses to avoid human infection. If relevant data could be effectively used to classify animals with respect to their risk of being infected, then the current meat inspection could be replaced by a more cost-effective system targeting high-risk animals. This study aimed to (1) describe the distribution of BC cases in the Danish cattle population, (2) estimate the animal level prevalence (3) provide descriptive statistics of potential risk factors for BC, and (4) determine attributable risks and fractions of selected risk factors potentially useful for a future risk-based meat inspection system. In total, 348 cases of BC were recorded among all cattle slaughtered (n = 4,090,661) in Denmark between 2004 and 2011. The true animal level prevalence of BC was estimated to be 0.06%. The herd of origin of the cases were defined as the herd in which the animals spent most of their lifetimes. The detected cases were found to originate from 328 herds, with a maximum of two cases per herd indicating sporadic occurrence. Even though organic farming was associated with a higher risk (RR = 1.9 in univariable analysis) of BC-positive animals being detected at slaughter, the population attributable fraction showed that only 5% of the animals with BC could be attributed to organic farming practices at the level of organic farming practiced in Denmark in the study period. Thus, organic farming status was not a suitable risk factor to use to target future risk-based meat inspection. However, 54% of the animals with BC in the cattle population were attributed to female gender. Increasing age at slaughter was also associated with high risk of BC. There may be overlaps between these effects in animals with multiple risk factors. Other underlying factors such as grazing patterns might explain the risk factors and attribution results found in this study. However, grazing practices are currently not recorded in the Danish cattle database. Therefore, animal level risk factors such as age and gender together with other risk factors such as grazing practices might be included as food chain information, required to be provided by the farmer prior to slaughter. The challenges and opportunities of this approach should be investigated further.
Francisco Fernando Calvo Artavia; L.R. Nielsen; J. Dahl; D.M. Clausen; L. Alban. Occurrence and factors associated with bovine cysticercosis recorded in cattle at meat inspection in Denmark in 2004–2011. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 2013, 110, 177 -182.
AMA StyleFrancisco Fernando Calvo Artavia, L.R. Nielsen, J. Dahl, D.M. Clausen, L. Alban. Occurrence and factors associated with bovine cysticercosis recorded in cattle at meat inspection in Denmark in 2004–2011. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2013; 110 (2):177-182.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Fernando Calvo Artavia; L.R. Nielsen; J. Dahl; D.M. Clausen; L. Alban. 2013. "Occurrence and factors associated with bovine cysticercosis recorded in cattle at meat inspection in Denmark in 2004–2011." Preventive Veterinary Medicine 110, no. 2: 177-182.
Under the current EU meat inspection regulation, every single carcase from all bovines above 6 weeks of age has to be examined for bovine cysticercosis (BC). This is time-consuming, costly, and is of limited value in countries with low prevalence. The aim of this study was to develop a stochastic simulation model for analysis of tentative risk-based meat inspection systems for BC in Danish cattle with regard to system sensitivity (SSSe), specificity and potential monetary benefits compared to the current system, which has an estimated SSSe of 15%. The relevant risk factors used to construct three alternative scenario trees were identified from previous Danish risk factor studies (1) gender, (2) grazing and (3) access to risky water sources. Thus, females, animals that had been grazing or animals with access to risky water sources were considered high-risk and would be subjected to invasive inspection at meat inspection. All animals in the low-risk groups (i.e. males, non-grazing or no access to risky water sources, respectively) would be subjected to visual inspection only. It was assumed that half of the cattle were slaughtered in abattoirs that would be able to reorganise the work at the slaughterline, allowing them to do with one meat inspector less. All abattoirs would gain on the price of sold uncut beef from the masseter muscles from visually inspected cattle. Under these assumptions, using gender and grazing were preferable due to them having SSSe only slightly lower than the current system, and highest effectiveness ratios, but they had a lower net economic effect (NEE) than the scenario using risky water sources. Using gender to differentiate high and low-risk groups was judged preferable over grazing due to feasibility, because the information is readily available at the slaughter line. The exact total NEE for the cattle sector depends on how many and which of the abattoirs that would be able to reorganise the work at the slaughter line to save money on inspection of the head of carcases. Overall, the SSSe was low in all scenarios leading to undetected BC-positive cattle both in the current meat inspection and under the investigated risk-based meat inspection systems. Therefore, improving the sensitivity of the methods used for inspection of high-risk cattle would be beneficial.
Francisco Calvo-Artavia; L.R. Nielsen; L. Alban. Epidemiologic and economic evaluation of risk-based meat inspection for bovine cysticercosis in Danish cattle. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 2013, 108, 253 -261.
AMA StyleFrancisco Calvo-Artavia, L.R. Nielsen, L. Alban. Epidemiologic and economic evaluation of risk-based meat inspection for bovine cysticercosis in Danish cattle. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2013; 108 (4):253-261.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Calvo-Artavia; L.R. Nielsen; L. Alban. 2013. "Epidemiologic and economic evaluation of risk-based meat inspection for bovine cysticercosis in Danish cattle." Preventive Veterinary Medicine 108, no. 4: 253-261.
Bovine cysticercosis (BC) is a zoonotic, parasitic infection in cattle. Under the current EU meat inspection regulation, every single carcass from all bovines above 6 weeks of age is examined for BC. This method is costly and makes more sense in countries with higher number of BC-infected animals than in countries with few lightly infected cases per year. The aim of the present case-control study was to quantify associations between potential herd-level risk factors and BC in Danish cattle herds. Risk factors can be used in the design of a risk-based meat inspection system targeted towards the animals with the highest risk of BC. Cases (n = 77) included herds that hosted at least one animal diagnosed with BC at meat inspection, from 2006 to 2010. Control herds (n = 231) consisted of randomly selected herds that had not hosted any animals diagnosed with BC between 2004 and 2010. The answers from a questionnaire and register data from the Danish Cattle Database were grouped into meaningful variables and used to investigate the risk factors for BC using a multivariable logistic regression model. Case herds were almost three times more likely than control herds to let all or most animals out grazing. Case herds were more than five times more likely than control herds to allow their animals access to risky water sources with sewage treatment plant effluent in proximity. Case herds were also more likely to share machinery or hire contractors than control herds. The risk decreased with increasing herd size probably because the larger herds generally tend to keep cattle indoors in Denmark. The results are useful to guide future data recording that can be supplied by the farmer as food chain information and then be used for differentiated meat inspection in low- and high-risk groups, enabling development of risk-based meat inspection systems.
Francisco Calvo-Artavia; L. R. Nielsen; J. Dahl; D. M. Clausen; A. M. Graumann; L. Alban. A Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Bovine Cysticercosis in Danish Cattle Herds. Zoonoses and Public Health 2012, 60, 311 -318.
AMA StyleFrancisco Calvo-Artavia, L. R. Nielsen, J. Dahl, D. M. Clausen, A. M. Graumann, L. Alban. A Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Bovine Cysticercosis in Danish Cattle Herds. Zoonoses and Public Health. 2012; 60 (4):311-318.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFrancisco Calvo-Artavia; L. R. Nielsen; J. Dahl; D. M. Clausen; A. M. Graumann; L. Alban. 2012. "A Case-Control Study of Risk Factors for Bovine Cysticercosis in Danish Cattle Herds." Zoonoses and Public Health 60, no. 4: 311-318.
Design of surveillance programs to detect infections could benefit from more insight into sampling schemes. We address the effect of sampling schemes for Salmonella Enteritidis surveillance in laying hens. Based on experimental estimates for the transmission rate in flocks, and the characteristics of an egg immunological test, we have simulated outbreaks with various sampling schemes, and with the current boot swab program with a 15‐week sampling interval. Declaring a flock infected based on a single positive egg was not possible because test specificity was too low. Thus, a threshold number of positive eggs was defined to declare a flock infected, and, for small sample sizes, eggs from previous samplings had to be included in a cumulative sample to guarantee a minimum flock level specificity. Effectiveness of surveillance was measured by the proportion of outbreaks detected, and by the number of contaminated table eggs brought on the market. The boot swab program detected 90% of the outbreaks, with 75% fewer contaminated eggs compared to no surveillance, whereas the baseline egg program (30 eggs each 15 weeks) detected 86%, with 73% fewer contaminated eggs. We conclude that a larger sample size results in more detected outbreaks, whereas a smaller sampling interval decreases the number of contaminated eggs. Decreasing sample size and interval simultaneously reduces the number of contaminated eggs, but not indefinitely: the advantage of more frequent sampling is counterbalanced by the cumulative sample including less recently laid eggs. Apparently, optimizing surveillance has its limits when test specificity is taken into account.
Don Klinkenberg; Ekelijn Thomas; Francisco Fernando Calvo Artavia; Annemarie Bouma. Salmonella Enteritidis Surveillance by Egg Immunology: Impact of the Sampling Scheme on the Release of Contaminated Table Eggs. Risk Analysis 2011, 31, 1260 -1270.
AMA StyleDon Klinkenberg, Ekelijn Thomas, Francisco Fernando Calvo Artavia, Annemarie Bouma. Salmonella Enteritidis Surveillance by Egg Immunology: Impact of the Sampling Scheme on the Release of Contaminated Table Eggs. Risk Analysis. 2011; 31 (8):1260-1270.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDon Klinkenberg; Ekelijn Thomas; Francisco Fernando Calvo Artavia; Annemarie Bouma. 2011. "Salmonella Enteritidis Surveillance by Egg Immunology: Impact of the Sampling Scheme on the Release of Contaminated Table Eggs." Risk Analysis 31, no. 8: 1260-1270.