ORIGINAL ARTICLE A Minimum Data Set of Animal Health Laboratory Data to allow for Collation and Analysis across Jurisdictions for the Purpose of Surveillance H. Kloeze 1 , J. Berezowski 2 , L. Bergeron 3 , N. de With 4 , G. Duizer 5 , C. Green 5 , B. McNab 6 and M. VanderKop 7 1 Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Owen Sound, ON, Canada 2 Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development, Edmonton, AB, Canada 3 Ministe ` re de l’Agriculture, des Pe ˆ cheries et de l’Alimentation du Que ´ bec, Quebec City, QC, Canada 4 British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, BC, Canada 5 Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, Winnipeg, MB, Canada 6 Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Guelph, ON, Canada 7 Chief Veterinary Officer, Environment Yukon, Whitehorse, YT, Canada Introduction While there are many obstacles impeding data sharing for animal health disease surveillance at a national level, the collation of animal health laboratory test results from all laboratories in a country allows for national surveillance and disease reporting domestically and internationally. A developed system can enable syndromic surveillance, which is the analysis of non-specific data to allow timely identifi- cation of changes in trends of disease occurrences, be they from natural and deliberate causes such as bio-terrorism, and give early warning of emerging diseases. (Bravata et al., 2004; Vourc’h et al., 2006; Wagner et al., 2006). In Canada, the federal government, through the Cana- dian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), is responsible for testing of reportable diseases as defined by the Health of Animals Act and the Health of Animals Regulations. Responsibility for other diseases is more complex as the testing is performed by the academic, provincial and pri- vate animal health laboratories that exist across Canada to serve the various geographic areas and animal popula- tions. Inter-jurisdictional data collation and sharing is challenging, because of privacy legislations, client confi- dentiality and technology incompatibilities between the data systems of the various laboratories. In Canada, the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Network (CAHSN) Keywords: data sharing; collaboration; surveillance; animal health; disease detection; veterinary epidemiology Correspondence: H. Kloeze. Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Tower 1, Floor 1, Room 262, 1400 Merivale Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0Y9, Canada. Tel.: 519 372 0361; Fax: 519 376 6901; E-mail: harold.kloeze@inspection.gc.ca Received for publication July 13, 2011 doi:10.1111/j.1865-1682.2011.01264.x Summary A minimum data set consisting of 15 data elements originating from laboratory submissions and results was formulated by a national committee of epidemiolo- gists in Canada for the purposes of disease reporting, disease detection and analysis. The data set consists of both data that are filled out on the submission form as well as the results of the laboratory testing. The elements in the data set are unique identifier, premises identification, date submitted, geographic location, species, farm type, group type, total population of tested species on the farm, number sick, number dead, test(s) performed, disease agent, test result, disease classification by submitter and final laboratory diagnosis. The data set was designed to be concise while allowing for domestic and inter- national disease reporting, effective analysis, including geographic, temporal and prevalence outputs, and syndromic surveillance to enable disease detection. The selected data elements do not identify the producer as specific geographic and nominal information is not included in the data set. The data elements selected, thus, allow for voluntary collaboration and data sharing by avoiding issues associated with privacy legislation. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 264 ª Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada 2011. Reproduced with the permission of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food • Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. 59 (2012) 264–268