The Principles of the Voluntary Programme for the Control and Elimination of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV) From Infected Herds in Slovenia

In Slovenia, the control of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) infections started in 1994. Since 2014, a voluntary programme has been running according to the national rules that prescribe the conditions for recognising, acquiring, and maintaining a BVDV-free status for an individual herd. The principle is based on periodical laboratory testing and preventive measures that need to be strictly implemented in a herd. Between 2014 and 2020, a total of 348 herds were included in BVDV antibody testing, and 25.0% of tested herds were detected to be BVDV antibody positive. To recognise the BVDV-free status of the herd, the breeder should provide two consecutive tests with intervals of at least 6 months in all animals in the age from 7 to 13 months, with negative results for BVDV antibodies in ELISA. The BVDV-free status of the herd can be maintained by implementing preventive measures and can be renewed each year with one laboratory test in the age group of animals from 7 to 13 months for antibodies in ELISA. During the 7 years of the voluntary programme, 236 herds were included in the detection of BVDV in individual herds by real-time RT-PCR method and the elimination of positive animals from herds. In 71 (31.3%) herds, at least one BVDV-positive animal was detected, with the identification of a total of 267 persistently infected (PI) animals, representing an average of 2.9% of tested animals. The cost of testing for an average herd, recognised as BVDV-negative, and maintaining its BVDV-free status within the implemented voluntary programme, was €97.64/year, while for the average positive herd, the laboratory costs for elimination of BVDV were €189.59/year. Only limited progress towards eradication at the national level has been achieved in Slovenia since 2014.

Feasibility and efficacy of mass testing for SARS-CoV-2 in a UK university using swab pooling and PCR

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 without symptoms is well described, and may be mitigated by mass testing. Nonetheless, the optimal implementation and quantitative real-world impact of this approach remain unclear. During a period of rising SARS-CoV-2 prevalence, students at the University of Cambridge were enrolled in a voluntary programme of weekly PCR-based asymptomatic screening. Swab pooling by household reduced the total testing capacity required by five-fold, without affecting laboratory workflows or compromising test sensitivity. Participation remained >75% throughout the study period. 299/671 (45%) of students diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 were either identified or pre-emptively quarantined because of the screening programme. After a negative screening test, the risk of developing COVID-19 over the following 7 days was decreased by 51%. Modelling transmission using parameters from our study suggests a reduction in R0 of up to 31% attributable to weekly screening. We therefore demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of regular, voluntary mass testing for COVID-19.

QUALITY ACCREDITATIONS OF DENTAL CLINICS: NEED OF THE HOUR

ABSTRACT: Accreditation is usually a voluntary programme in which trained external peer reviewers evaluate a healthcare organization's compliance and compare it with pre-established performance standards. The aim of this article is to provide information about accreditation programmes applicable for dentistry. The article is more focused on NABH Accreditations for DHSP (Dental Health Service Providers) specifically for dental clinics. KEYWORDS: Quality accreditations, Dental Clinics, ISO, NABH, JCI

Employee benefits are the norm, but using them is not

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to examine the reasons why a small percentage of eligible employees actually regularly access the range of voluntary benefits their employers offer, and to identify ways of increasing employee participation. Design/methodology/approach – Personal Group have found that despite the diversification of benefits on offer and the savings that can result from the use of a voluntary programme, the vast majority of employees are still refraining from taking up the schemes that their employers are offering. Findings – Personal Group have found that despite the diversification of benefits on offer and the savings that can result from the use of a voluntary programme, the vast majority of employees are still refraining from taking up the schemes that their employers are offering. Originality/value – Higher engagement in benefits programmes lead to higher productivity rates. This in turn has a material impact on the overall practical and financial performance of a company.

Comparison of data from voluntary logbook and research catch-sampling programmes in the New Zealand lobster fishery

Since 1993, the New Zealand Fishing Industry Board has run an extensive voluntary programme to collect biological information from rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii) pot fisheries using logbooks maintained by commercial fishers. The New Zealand Ministry of Fisheries has run since 1989 an intensive research sampling programme of the rock lobster commercial fishery which measures nearly every lobster caught in a selected trip. A comparison of these two programmes was made for the southern South Island fishery over a period from August 1993 to January 1996. Length frequency distributions stratified by month and statistical area showed similar distributions from both sampling programmes in most strata, with a tendency for higher frequency modes to be estimated by the voluntary logbook data and larger frequency modes estimated by the research sampling data. These differences were slight except for five instances (of 40 strata compared) where the research sampling programme estimated flat frequency distributions which were not typical of the distributions estimated in other strata. Catch per potlift from the voluntary logbook programme and the compulsory catch per effort landing returns were similar for the same fishers. This indicated that the voluntary fishers were successful in designating ‘representative’ sampling units for their programme.