ABSTRACT

Mycoplasma bovis, a disease affecting cattle worldwide, was first reported in New Zealand in 2017. Classed as an unwanted organism, the Government attempted eradicating it via culling of infected herds. This study reviews media coverage of this process over the first two years following the incursion. Content analysis was used to explore media framing of the management, containment and progress towards eradication of cattle infected by M. bovis over time. The analysis revealed that farmers and communities affected by M. bovis reported many forms of adverse health and well-being impacts. Apparent causes included the outbreak itself, the Government’s eradication programme, the way that programme was delivered, and the cumulative nature of stressors on the sector. The analysis also underlined media focus on raising the profile of the human cost of this biosecurity disaster. Arguably this approach amplified deficits within the processes and management strategies adopted by the Ministry for Primary Industries. This research adds to the small but growing body of evidence relating to the health and social impacts of exotic animal disease incursions on rural communities in New Zealand and elsewhere. Findings can be used to facilitate planning for future responses.

摘要

牛支原体是一种影响全球牛的疾病，于 2017 年在新西兰首次报道。政府被列为有害生物，政府试图通过扑杀受感染的牛群来根除它。本研究回顾了入侵后头两年媒体对该过程的报道。随着时间的推移，内容分析用于探索媒体对管理、遏制和根除被牛分枝杆菌感染的牛的进展的框架。分析表明，受牛分枝杆菌影响的农民和社区报告了多种形式的不利健康和福祉影响。明显的原因包括疫情本身、政府的根除计划、该计划的实施方式以及该行业压力源的累积性质。分析还强调媒体关注提高对这场生物安全灾难的人员成本的关注。可以说，这种方法放大了初级产业部采用的流程和管理策略中的不足。这项研究增加了关于外来动物疾病入侵新西兰和其他地方农村社区的健康和社会影响的少量但不断增加的证据。调查结果可用于促进对未来响应的规划。