Data Preparation
The tool aims to minimize the need to re-type the same information more than once and the user is guided through the different levels of reporting data: Aggregated Data (Level 1), Sample Level Data (Level 2) and Analytical Test Results (Level 3).
Please note that if data are available in electronic format in a centralized database within the reporting country, we suggest you to implement, in collaboration with your IT department, an automatic procedure for the creation of XML files and their upload to DCF. The source code of the TSE data reporting tool is made available in GitHub and can be freely re-used and modified as needed.
Before starting to populate a report in the TSE data reporting tool, it is important to understand what kind of information need to be reported for BSE, Scrapie, CWD, random genotype or TSE in other species.
Please carefully go through the following sections that explain which type of aggregation is required for the different animal species in order to produce data according to the TSE data reporting requirements.
Aggregated figures shall be calculated by grouping individual results based on a set of variables. This set of variables is called context, as also referred in the technical report produced by EFSA in 2016. The variables of the context are the following ones (the first 3 also identify the report):
- Reporting/Sampling country: (this is set in Preferences in the tool);
- Reporting/Sampling year: (this is set when creating a new report in the tool);
- Reporting/Sampling month: (this is set when creating a new report in the tool);
- Animal Species;
- Husbandry system (e.g. farmed/captive, semi-domesticated or wild);
- Age class;
- Target group;
- Sex of the animal, part of the context only for CWD (cervids): The option ‘Mixed females and males’ is available for aggregated data;
- First test type: the analytical method type of the first test used pre-filled with screening, but it can be modified;
- First test: the first test used;
- Herd/Flock status: the status of the herd/flock can be infected or not infected. It only applies to Scrapie (sheep and goats);
- PSU Id: the identifier of the Primary Sampling Unit. It only applies to CWD (cervids);
For RGT (Random genotyping), both the Allele 1 and Allele 2 fields should be compiled since they are considered part of the context (TSE data reporting tool version 1.2.4 or greater). These fields describe the two alleles of the ovine PRNP gene genotyped in a sample of the general sheep population.
Remember that the configuration of the data reporting requirements for CWD (CWD Extended context) is in the preferences page.
If your country uses more than one rapid/screening test, you will have to submit multiple aggregated data, one for each rapid test.