The ecology of wildlife disease control: simple models revisited.
Abstract
The simple disease/host models used to identify the ecological criteria governing the likely relative effectiveness of culling, sterilization and vaccination as methods of controlling disease in wildlife are examined. It is concluded that the simple models provide a useful insight into the likely efficacy of control strategies in relative rather than absolute terms (culling more effective than vaccination and vaccination more effective than sterilization). The final decision on which control strategy to use should also consider other practical, social and conservation factors.