About the EZIPs-tool

The information and data in this tool are one of the results of the EmZoo (Emerging Zoonoses) project which started in 2007, a consortium consisting of RIVM, the Central Veterinary Institute (CVI, currently Wageningen Bioveterinary Research), Animal Health Services (GD) and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FD-UU). The final report from the EmZoo project can be found here.

Priority setting was an important aspect of the EmZoo consortium. Of an initial list with more recently recognized zoonotic pathogens, 86 pathogens remained on this list, which were identified as most relevant for the Dutch situation. Basic information (taxonomy, animal reservoir, transmission routes, global distribution e.d.) of each of the 86 emerging zoonotic pathogens is assembled in the ‘Table’ tab of this tool.

In the ‘Graph’ tab of this tool, the priority scores of the 86 pathogens are shown graphically. These scores indicate which emerging zoonotic pathogens on the list poses the largest threat to public health in the Netherlands. Details on the methods used for priority setting can be found in Havelaar et al, 2010 and are also described in short here.

In the ‘Graph’ tab of the tool it is possible to add new pathogens with criteria choses by yourself.

How does the tool work?

In the ‘Graph’ tab, new pathogens can be added to the graph under ‘Add a new pathogen’. You can choose the score for your designed pathogen in the seven criteria used for the EmZoo priority setting. For this, use the dropdown menus.

Add the name of your designed pathogen under ‘Name of new pathogen’. After clicking ‘Add pathogen’ your pathogen will appear in the graph. Designed pathogens can be removed from the graph by clicking ‘Clear custom pathogen(s)’.