M. cerebralis establishment and spread: A graphical synthesis

M. cerebralis is the parasite causing whirling disease, which has dramatic ecological impacts due to its potential cause high mortality in salmonids. The large-scale efforts, necessary underpin an effective surveillance program, have practical and economic constraints. There is, hence, a clear need for models that can predict spread. Model development, however, often heavily depends on knowing influential variables governing mechanisms. We developed graphical model establishment spread of by synthesizing experts’ opinion empirical studies. First, we conducted series workshops with experts identify believed impact visualized their interactions via directed acyclic graph. Then refined graph incorporating findings from literature. final graph’s nodes correspond whose considerable either supported data or confirmed experts, edges represent direct causality strong correlation. This facilitates communication education disease provides empirically driven framework constructing future models, especially Bayesian networks.