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Be-FAST: Between-Farm-Animal Spatial Transmission

Be-FASTThe UCM research teams SUAT-VISAVET and MOMAT have officially registered in the Intellectual Property Office the model Be-FAST (Between-Farm-Animal Spatial Transmission).

Be-FAST is a computer program based on a time-spatial mathematical model to assess the health and economic consequences in the swine industry caused by livestock notifiable diseases as listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health. This software runs Monte-Carlo simulations based on hypothetical infections of livestock farms located in a defined region (country or area). The disease diffusion assumes a stochastic model (Susceptible-Infected type) within farms and the epidemic spread among farms assumes a stochastic model focused on individuals (each farm being considered as an individual) Susceptible- exposed-Infected (SEI), caused by direct contact (animal movement) or indirect contact (vehicles, people or lorries), taking into account the spatial distribution of farms. The main measures implemented by European regulations for the control and eradication of such epidemics are also incorporated to estimate the potential health and economic consequences of possible outbreaks. 

Related articles:

  • Fernández-Carrión, E., Ivorra, B., Martínez-López, B., Ramos, A.M., Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J.M., 2016. Implementation and validation of an economic module in the Be-FAST model to predict costs generated by livestock disease epidemics: Application to classical swine fever epidemics in Spain. Prev. Vet. Med. Prev Vet Med. In press (Online 2/2016).
  • Martínez-López, B., Ivorra, B., Fernández-Carrión, E., Pérez, A.M., Medel-Herrero, A., Sánchez-Vizcaíno, F., Gortázar, C., Ramos, A.M., Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J.M., 2014. A multi-analysis approach for space-time and economic evaluation of risks related with livestock diseases: The example of FMD in Peru. Prev. Vet. Med. 114, 47-63.
  • Martínez-López, B., Ivorra, B., Ramos, A.M., Fernández-Carrión, E., Alexandrov, T., Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J.M., 2013. Evaluation of the risk of classical swine fever (CSF) spread from backyard pigs to other domestic pigs by using the spatial stochastic disease spread model Be-FAST: The example of Bulgaria. Vet. Microb. 165, 79-85. Ivorra, B. Martínez-López, B., Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J.M., Ramos, A.M., 2012. Mathematical formulation and validation of the Be-FAST model for Classical Swine Fever Virus spread between and within farms. Ann. Oper. Res. 219, 25-47.
  • Martínez-López, B., Ivorra, B., Ngom, D., Ramos, A.M., Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J.M., 2012. A novel spatial and stochastic model to evaluate the within and between farm transmission of classical swine fever virus: II Validation of the model. Vet. Microb. 155, 21-32.
  • Martínez-López, B., Ivorra, B., Ramos, A.M., Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J.M., 2011. A novel spatial and stochastic model to evaluate the within- and between-farm transmission of classical swine fever virus. I. General concepts and description of the model. Vet. Microb. 147, 300-309.