Wildlife disease outbreak investigation

The One Health Research Group conducts outbreak investigations for wildlife to determine the causes and control of illness, death and species decline.

Outbreak investigation follows a well-developed methodology used across the medical and veterinary sciences. These methods have also been very useful in understanding species decline and for example, determined that chytridiomycosis has caused the global decline and extinction of frogs. The main steps we follow are outlined below:

• Case definition
• Differential diagnosis list
• Pattern of outbreak in space and time
• Risk factors for cases
• Tentative diagnosis
• Implement control
• Pathological examination
• Testing hypotheses
• Refine control.

Contact information

For more information, please contact Associate Professor Lee Skerratt:

• l.skerratt@unimelb.edu.au
• +61 477 455 463.