Glossary

Anadromous fish

Fish species that hatch and live initially in fresh water (as fry), and migrate to sea water (for ‘grow-out’) and then return to fresh water to spawn.

Animal products

Meat products and products of animal origin (e.g. eggs) for human consumption or use in animal feeding.

Aquatic Animal Health Committee

A committee comprising representatives of the Australian Government; state and territory governments; the major aquaculture, wild capture, aquarium and recreational fishing industries; and CSIRO. The committee provided advice to the Primary Industries Ministerial Council on aquatic animal health matters, focusing on technical issues and regulatory policy.
See also Primary Industries Ministerial Council

AQUAVETPLAN

A ustralian Aquatic Veterinary Emergency Plan. A series of technical response plans that describe the proposed Australian approach to an emergency aquatic animal disease incident.
See also AUSVETPLAN

Australian Chief Veterinary Officer

The nominated senior veterinarian in the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry who manages international animal health commitments and the Australian Government’s response to an animal disease outbreak.
See also Chief veterinary officer

AUSVETPLAN

Aus tralian Veterinary Emergency Plan. A series of technical response plans that describe the proposed Australian approach to an emergency animal disease incident. The documents provide guidance based on sound analysis, linking policy, strategies, implementation, coordination and emergency-management plans.

Carcase

The body of an animal slaughtered for meat, after removal of the offal etc.

Catadromous fish

Fish species that hatch and live initially in sea water (as fry), and migrate to fresh water (for ‘grow-out’) and then return to sea water to spawn.

Chief veterinary officer (CVO)

The senior veterinarian of the animal health authority in each jurisdiction (national, state or territory) who has responsibility for animal disease control in that jurisdiction.
See also Australian Chief Veterinary Officer

Compensation

The sum of money paid by government to an owner for stock and/or property that is destroyed, possibly compulsorily, because of an emergency animal disease.

Composting

Decomposition of infected material by microorganisms. Suitable only where there is a small risk of fomite spread.

Control

Reduction in morbidity and mortality from disease by measures intended to interfere with the unrestrained occurrence of disease.

Control area

A buffer between the restricted area and areas free from disease. Restrictions on this area will reduce the likelihood of the disease spreading further afield. As the extent of the outbreak is confirmed, the control area may reduce in size. The shape of the area may be modified according to circumstances, such as water flows, catchment limits etc. In most cases, permits will be required to move animals and specified product out of the control area into the free area.

Covert infection

Infection that is clinically inapparent, which may be transmissible and can eventually lead to clinical disease.

Dangerous contact premises or area

An area or premises containing aquatic animals that show no signs of disease but which, because of their probable exposure to disease, will be subject to disease control measures. The type of contact that would suggest exposure will depend on the agent involved in the outbreak but, for example, may involve animal movements or movements of nets or equipment.

Declared area

A defined tract of land or water that is subjected to disease control restrictions under emergency animal disease legislation. Types of declared areas include restricted area, control area, infected premises, dangerous contact premises and suspect premises.

Decontamination

A combination of physical and chemical procedures that are used to remove soiling and inactivate the target disease organism. Includes all stages of cleaning and disinfection.

Destruction

The killing by humane means (euthanasia) of infected aquatic animals and/or those exposed to infection.
See also Stamping out.

Disease agent

A general term for a transmissible organism or other factor that causes an infectious disease.

Disinfectant

A chemical used to destroy disease agents outside a living animal.

Disinfection

The application, after thorough cleansing, of procedures intended to destroy the infectious or parasitic agents of animal diseases, including zoonoses; it applies to premises, vehicles and other objects that may have been directly or indirectly contaminated.

Disposal

Sanitary removal of fish carcases and things by burial, burning or some other process so as to prevent the spread of disease.

Ecchymotic haemorrhages

Bleeding or bruising in the skin or a mucous membrane in the form of small round spots or paintbrush-like red-purplish discoloration.

Emergency animal disease

A disease that is (a) exotic to Australia or (b) a variant of an endemic disease or (c) a serious infectious disease of unknown or uncertain cause or (d) a severe outbreak of a known endemic disease, and that is considered to be of national significance with serious social or trade implications.
See also Endemic animal disease, Exotic animal disease

Endemic animal disease

A disease affecting animals (which may include humans) that is known to occur in Australia.
See also Emergency animal disease, Exotic animal disease

Enterprise

See Risk enterprise

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

A serological test designed to detect and measure the presence of antibody or antigen in a sample. The test uses an enzyme reaction with a substrate to produce a colour change when antigen–antibody binding occurs.

Epidemiological investigation

An investigation to identify and qualify the risk factors associated with the disease.

Exophthalmia

Protrusion of the eyeball from the orbit, caused by disease or injury.

Exotic animal disease

A disease affecting animals (which may include humans) that does not normally occur in Australia.
See also Emergency animal disease, Endemic animal disease

Fallow/fallowing

Leaving an area unfarmed or vacant of introduced stock for a specified period (usually a season). In the case of fish, this will require all adjacent areas to fallow, to be of use depending on local conditions (currents etc.)

Fish byproducts

Products of fish origin destined for industrial use (e.g. fishmeal).

Fish products

Fish meat products and products of fish origin (e.g. eggs) for human consumption or use in animal feeding.

Fomite

Any inanimate object (e.g. water, packing, boots, equipment) that can carry the agent and spread the disease through mechanical transmission.

Free area

An area known to be free from the disease agent.

Furuncle

A boil-like inflammatory sore or lesion. More precisely, an area of focal liquefactive necrosis in the axial musculature.

Gram stain

Gram’s stain reaction divides bacteria into two major groups, gram positive or gram negative, based on their cell wall structure.

Haemorrhage

The escape of blood from a ruptured vessel, causing bleeding.

Hyperaemia

An excess of blood in an area.

High-risk material

Animal wastes that constitute or are suspected of constituting a serious health risk to animals or humans.

Inappetance

Lack of appetite.

Infected premises or area

A defined area (which may be all or part of a premises, lease or waterway) in which an aquatic animal disease emergency exists or is believed to exist, or in which the infective agent of that aquatic animal disease exists or is believed to exist. An infected area is subject to quarantine served by notice and to eradication or control procedures.

Leukocytopenia

Abnormally reduced numbers of white blood cells (leukocytes) in the bloodstream.

Local disease control centre

An emergency operations centre responsible for the command and control of field operations in a defined area.

Low-risk waste

Animal wastes that do not constitute a serious risk for the spread of disease to humans or animals.

Mitigation

Reduction in severity (e.g. mitigation of the impact of disease is to decrease the severity of the impact of the disease).

Monitoring

Routine collection of data for assessing the health status of a population.
See also Surveillance

Movement control

Restrictions placed on the movement of fish, people and other things to prevent the spread of disease.

OIE Aquatic Code

OIE Aquatic Animal Health Code (OIE 2009), viewed 2009, <www.oie.int/eng/normes/fcode/en_sommaire.htm>

OIE Aquatic Manual

OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests for Aquatic Animals (OIE 2009), viewed 2009, < www.oie.int/eng/normes/fmanual/A_summry.htm>. Describes standards for laboratory diagnostic tests and the production and control of biological products (principally vaccines).

Operational procedures

Detailed instructions for carrying out specific disease control activities, such as disposal, destruction, decontamination and valuation.

Petechial haemorrhage

Tiny flat, red or purple spots in the skin or mucous membranes caused by bleeding from small blood vessels.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

A diagnostic technique involving in vitro amplification of a specific target DNA segment to detectable levels.

Premises or area

A production site for aquatic animals that may range from an aquarium to an aquaculture lease in the open ocean.

Primary Industries Ministerial Council

The council of Australian national, state and territory and New Zealand ministers of agriculture that sets Australian and New Zealand agricultural policy (formerly the Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand).

Quarantine

Legal restrictions imposed on a place, fish, vehicles, or other things, therefore limiting movement.

Restricted area

The area around an infected premises (or area), likely to be subject to intense surveillance and movement controls. It is likely to be relatively small. It may include some dangerous contact premises (or area) and some suspect premises (or area), as well as enterprises that are not infected or under suspicion. Movement of potential vectors of disease out of the area will, in general, be prohibited. Movement into the restricted area would only be by permit. Multiple restricted areas may exist within one control area.

Risk enterprise

A defined livestock or related enterprise, which is potentially a major source of infection for many other premises. Includes hatcheries, aquaculture farms, processing plants, packing sheds, fish markets, tourist angling premises, veterinary laboratories, road and rail freight depots, and garbage depots.

Sentinel fish

Fish of known health status monitored for the purpose of detecting the presence of a disease agent.

Septicaemia

The invasion and persistence of pathogenic bacteria in the bloodstream.

Serosa

A smooth membrane consisting of a thin layer of cells that excrete a fluid, known as serous fluid. Serous membranes line and enclose several body cavities (serous cavities), where they secrete a lubricating fluid that reduces friction from muscle and organ movement.

Serosanguinous fluid

Fluid composed of blood and serum.

Smoltification

Physiological metamorphosis that facilitates the fish’s survival in the marine environment.

Smolts

Fish that have undergone a physiological process while in fresh water that prepares them for migration to salt water.

Stamping out

Eradication procedures based on quarantine and destruction of all infected animals and animals exposed to infection.

State or territory disease control headquarters

The emergency operations centre that directs the disease control operations to be undertaken in that state or territory.

Surveillance

A systematic series of investigations of a given population of fish to detect the occurrence of disease for control purposes, which may involve testing samples of a population.

Susceptible animal

An animal that can be infected with a particular disease.

Suspect premises or area

Where the emergency disease is suspected but not yet confirmed. The reason for the suspicion varies with the agent; however, it may involve clinical signs or increased mortality.

Tachybranchia

Rapid gill movement.

Tracing

The process of locating animals, persons or other items that may be implicated in the spread of disease, so that appropriate action can be taken.

Transport

The biosecure removal of aquatic animals, aquatic animal carcases or parts of aquatic animals from the infected aquaculture establishment to the site of disposal.

Vasocongestion

Enlarged congested blood vessels.

Vector

A living organism that transmits an infectious agent from one host to another. A biological vector is one in which the infectious agent must develop or multiply before becoming infective to a recipient host. A mechanical vector is one that transmits an infectious agent from one host to another but is not essential to the life cycle of the agent.

Zoning

The process of defining disease-free and infected areas.

Zoonosis or zoonotic disease

Disease transmissible from animals to humans.