What is the term for testing cattle and domestic bison for infection via serology under a national eradication program?

• A. Active Surveillance
• B. Serosurveillance
• C. Passive Surveillance
• D. Wastewater Surveillance

Answer: (B)

The key idea being tested is using blood-based antibody testing to monitor exposure in animal populations as part of a disease eradication effort. This approach, where serum samples from cattle and domestic bison are tested for pathogen-specific antibodies, is called serosurveillance. It provides a picture of who has been exposed to the infection, even if animals aren’t showing illness right now, allowing public health and veterinary programs to map transmission, identify areas still at risk, and measure progress toward eradication.

Active surveillance, by contrast, focuses on finding current infections through direct pathogen detection (like PCR or culture), not just antibodies. Passive surveillance relies on reports of illness or suspicion rather than proactive, systematic sampling. Wastewater surveillance uses environmental samples to infer infection levels in a community, which isn’t about testing individual animals’ serostatus.