Spatial Analysis when the Location of Infection is Uncertain: An Innovative Approach Using an Animal- Herd-Level Weighted Analysis

Abstract

Bovine cysticercosis is a zoonotic foodborne disease caused by "Taenia saginata" involving cattle as the intermediate host and humans as the final host. Due to the slow development of cysticercosis cysts in cattle muscles and the complexity of cattle movements, there is a strong bias to consider the last farm location before slaughter as the location of infection for spatial analysis. This study presents an innovative approach to spatial analysis that takes into account uncertainty regarding the location where the animal was infected. An animal-herd-level weighted analysis was used and applied to bovine cysticercosis in France.