CPB 69700 RESEARCH SEMINAR

DEPARTMENT OF COMPARATIVE PATHOBIOLOGY

Invited Speaker

Ynte H. Schukken, DVM, PhD

Professor of Epidemiology and Herd Health

Director, Quality Milk Production Services

Cornell University

"Towards resolving mastitis in dairy cows:

mathematical modeling provides insight in infection dynamics.”

Thurs., October 30, 2008

VPTH 112

3:30 pm

ABSTRACT:

In this presentation, I will make an argument that we can use mathematical modeling to explore population level effects of intervention programs targeting chronic subclinical mastitis. Similarly, we can use mathematical models to explore intramammary dynamics of bacterial infections and develop credible hypotheses about persistent infections. Mathematical models allow us to study within animal and within herd dynamics of infectious diseases. Using these models we can not only study and evaluate intervention programs in dairy herds, but also gain a better understanding of the pathogenesis of persistent intra-mammary infections. Validating mathematical models with real life data is essential to provide credibility to the results of these models. In this presentation I will provide examples of combining mathematical models with observational data to provide insight in intra-mammary infection dynamics.