Andrea Babylon

Citation

Thesis Title
Modelling Infectious Diseases in Multiple Species

Read article at Massey Research Online:

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease, caused by a bacterial infection, which can be passed from animals to humans. The disease is common in New Zealand wildlife as well as on farms and is the cause of significant financial losses to the country. An understanding of how the disease spreads within animal hosts is important in informing which control measures minimise exposure to humans. Ms Babylon developed New Zealand specific models of the spreading of leptospirosis in sheep and rats. These models were unique in that they considered how the disease spreads not only between species, but also amongst different age groups of the same species. The results showed how farming practices influence infection rates over time and predicted that the situation may worsen as a result of climate change.  

Supervisors
Professor Mick Roberts
Emeritus Professor Graeme Wake
Professor Cord Heuer