An epidemiological database for aquatic animal infectious diseases.

PANDA (Permanent Advisory Network for Diseases in Aquaculture, http://www.europanda.net/) was established in 2004 with funding from the EU Framework Programme 6 under the theme of scientific advice in support of policy. One of its objectives was to establish a readily available data source that could be used to support risk assessment, surveillance and contingency plans for exotic and emerging aquatic diseases in Europe. A small international task force was charged with developing a database to fulfil this need. The particular focus of the group was to develop an easily accessible structure that would include information on the epidemiology of each pathogen and the respective infections, in such detail that it could be used as the scientific basis for risk analysis. Even though the original PANDA task was to focus on exotic diseases, a decision was made to extend the database so that it could include information on many diseases that may be of interest in any area of the world. The process of development and pre-testing the database, the database structure and the resource implications of developing and sustaining such a database will be described and discussed. The database currently is available through the PANDA website in its complete form, tested during the past 3 years by the authors and a number of colleagues. To make the information accessible to as wide an audience as possible, we propose to publish the database on the World Wide Web as a free-access, peer-reviewed electronic journal (AQUATIC DISEASE RISK REVIEW). The presentation of the database as an on-line journal would ensure its continuous expansion to include new pathogens or information and the revision of existing information whenever that became necessary because of new scientific developments.