Maintaining Your Organisation's Disease Intelligence

The Knowledge Hub (Chapter 4) provides disease intelligence to all users in your organisation. Farmers research symptoms. Veterinarians diagnose diseases. Conservationists assess outbreak risks. As a SuperUser, you maintain the disease database, educational content, outbreak information, and emergency contacts that power this critical resource.

This isn't just data entry. You ensure your organisation has accurate, current, actionable disease information during emergencies when decisions matter most.

Access Knowledge API Administration at /Admin/KnowledgeAPI from the Admin Dashboard.

Knowledge API Overview

What You're Managing

The Knowledge API is the disease intelligence database powering:

For End Users (Chapter 4):

• Disease profile searches
• Emergency authority contacts
• Outbreak tracking and alerts
• Educational explainers
• Glossary definitions
• Plant poisoning information

For Veterinarians (Chapter 20):

• Disease diagnoses during clinical observations
• Automatic quarantine calculation
• Contact tracing parameters
• Biosecurity protocol recommendations
• Zoonotic disease protocols

For Everyone:

• Evidence-based disease management
• Regulatory compliance support
• Emergency response coordination

Your Role: You maintain the underlying data. Add diseases, update emergency contacts, track outbreaks, curate educational content. When you add a disease here, all users can search for it. When you update emergency contacts, they're immediately available during crises.

How This Differs from Chapter 4

Chapter 4 (The Knowledge Hub) explains what disease intelligence users access and how they use it.

This Chapter (27.4) explains what disease intelligence SuperUsers maintain and how to keep it current, accurate, and relevant.

Users consume disease knowledge. SuperUsers curate it.

Knowledge API Health Monitoring

API Status Dashboard

The Knowledge API Administration page displays health status at the top:

API Health Indicators:

• Healthy (Green): Knowledge API accessible, disease database responsive, all features operational
• Degraded (Yellow): Partial functionality, slower performance, some features unavailable
• Unavailable (Red): Knowledge API down, users cannot access disease information

If Degraded or Unavailable:

• Note the timestamp when issue started
• Check if self-hosted infrastructure issue (if applicable)
• Contact Kora support team with status details
• Inform users of temporary Knowledge Hub limitations
• Provide alternative disease information resources during outage

Statistics Overview:

• Total disease records in database
• Total explainers available
• Total plant poisoning entries
• Current active outbreaks tracked
• Jurisdictions covered
• Authority contacts maintained

These statistics help you assess knowledge base completeness. Identify gaps requiring attention.

Disease Database Management

Adding New Diseases

When to Add:

• New disease emerges (novel pathogen identified)
• Expanding operations to regions with endemic diseases
• Veterinarians request specific disease profiles
• Regulatory authorities designate new notifiable diseases
• Wildlife conservation encounters species-specific diseases

What Disease Profiles Contain:

• Disease name and alternative names
• Animal types affected (cattle, sheep, wildlife, multiple species)
• Short description (one-sentence summary)
• Comprehensive overview and detailed description
• Clinical symptoms (observable signs)
• Epidemiological parameters (transmission rate, incubation period, contagious period)
• Zoonotic status and human health impact
• Emergency response recommendations
• Reporting requirements (notifiable disease status)
• Endemic countries and geographic distribution
• Links to resources and explainers

How to Add Disease:

1. Navigate to Knowledge API, Disease Database
2. Click "Add New Disease"
3. Enter disease name (common name and scientific name)
4. Select animal types affected
5. Write short description (concise, one sentence)
6. Write comprehensive overview (2-3 paragraphs explaining what disease is, why it matters)
7. Enter detailed description (clinical characteristics, epidemiology, significance)
8. List clinical symptoms (observable signs in affected animals)
9. Set epidemiological parameters: Transmission Rate (0.0-1.0, how easily disease spreads), Incubation Period (days from exposure to contagiousness), Contagious Period (days before symptoms when animal can spread disease), Zoonotic (Yes/No, can disease affect humans?), Zoonotic Multiplier (1.0-2.0, if zoonotic, risk adjustment where 1.0 equals standard, 2.0 equals maximum concern)
10. Write human impact description (if zoonotic)
11. Provide emergency response recommendations
12. Specify reporting requirements (notifiable disease status)
13. List endemic countries
14. Link to relevant resources and explainers
15. Review disease profile carefully
16. Save and publish

Disease Profile Quality Standards:

• Accuracy: Verify information with authoritative sources (OIE, FAO, national veterinary authorities)
• Completeness: Include all essential information users need for decision-making
• Clarity: Write for non-veterinarians (farmers, animal care staff) while maintaining professional accuracy
• Currency: Use current epidemiological data, not outdated information
• Relevance: Focus on diseases actually encountered in your operational context

Editing Existing Diseases

When to Edit:

• Epidemiological parameters change (updated research, regulatory revisions)
• Outbreak patterns reveal new transmission characteristics
• Regulatory status changes (disease becomes notifiable, reporting requirements update)
• Clinical description needs clarification based on user feedback
• Geographic distribution expands (disease spreads to new regions)

What to Update:

• Incubation or contagious periods (if new research available)
• Transmission rates (if outbreak data reveals different spread patterns)
• Reporting requirements (if regulatory framework changes)
• Endemic countries (if disease expands or eradicated in regions)
• Resources and links (if better materials become available)
• Human impact (if zoonotic risk assessment updates)

How to Edit:

1. Navigate to Disease Database
2. Search for disease to edit
3. Click "Edit" on disease profile
4. Modify relevant fields (only change what needs updating)
5. Document reason for change (helps track revisions)
6. Review changes carefully (affects all users immediately)
7. Save updates

Edit Impact: Changes apply immediately to all users. Veterinary diagnoses using updated disease automatically use new parameters. Quarantine calculations and contact tracing update with new epidemiological parameters. No need to notify users. Knowledge Hub updates transparently.

Disease Search and Organisation

Search Capabilities:

• Search by disease name
• Filter by animal type
• Filter by zoonotic status
• Filter by transmission level
• Filter by geographic region

Use search to quickly locate diseases needing updates, verify disease exists before adding duplicates, or review similar diseases for consistency.

Explainer Management

What Explainers Are

Explainers are educational articles explaining disease concepts in plain language:

Common Explainer Topics:

• Disease mechanisms (how viral vs. bacterial diseases work)
• Epidemiological concepts (incubation period, transmission rates, quarantine duration)
• Biosecurity principles (why visitor management matters, equipment disinfection)
• Zoonotic disease risks (protecting yourself when working with sick animals)
• Regulatory frameworks (notifiable diseases, movement restrictions, export certification)

Purpose: Help users understand the "why" behind disease management recommendations. When a user sees "14-day incubation period," an explainer explains what that means and why it matters.

Adding Explainers

When to Add:

• Users frequently ask questions about specific concepts
• New disease management practices need explanation
• Regulatory requirements confuse users
• Veterinarians identify knowledge gaps affecting clinical compliance
• Complex concepts require plain-language translation

How to Write Effective Explainers:

• Plain Language: Avoid jargon, define technical terms, write for general audience
• Practical Focus: Explain why concept matters, not just what it is
• Real Examples: Use scenarios users recognise from their work
• Concise: 2-5 paragraphs typically sufficient, not lengthy articles
• Linked: Connect to relevant disease profiles, other explainers, glossary terms

How to Add Explainer:

1. Navigate to Knowledge API, Explainers
2. Click "Add New Explainer"
3. Enter title (clear, descriptive, identifies topic)
4. Select category (disease mechanisms, epidemiology, biosecurity, zoonotic risks, regulatory)
5. Write content (2-5 paragraphs, plain language, practical examples)
6. Link to related diseases (which disease profiles should reference this explainer?)
7. Link to glossary terms (key terminology used in explainer)
8. Review for clarity and accuracy
9. Save and publish

Example Explainer Topics:

• "Understanding Incubation Periods and Quarantine Duration"
• "What 'Zoonotic' Really Means for Animal Handlers"
• "Why Biosecurity Matters: Preventing Disease Spread"
• "Notifiable Diseases: Your Legal Reporting Obligations"
• "Transmission Rates Explained: What the Numbers Mean"

Editing Explainers

When to Edit:

• User feedback indicates confusion or inaccuracy
• Regulatory frameworks change
• Better explanatory approaches identified
• Scientific understanding evolves
• Links or references need updating

Editing Process: Same as adding. Navigate to explainer, click edit, modify content, save updates.

Plant Poisoning Information

Why Plant Poisonings Matter

Livestock, wildlife, and zoo animals can be poisoned by toxic plants with serious health consequences or mortality. Plant poisoning information helps users identify toxic plants on properties, recognise poisoning symptoms, implement emergency response, and prevent future exposures through habitat management.

What Plant Poisoning Entries Contain

Essential Information:

• Plant name (common and scientific names)
• Geographic distribution (where plant grows)
• Animal types affected (cattle, sheep, horses, all species)
• Toxic parts (leaves, seeds, roots, entire plant)
• Toxicity level (mild, moderate, severe, fatal)
• Clinical symptoms in affected animals
• Treatment approaches (if available)
• Prevention strategies

Adding Plant Poisoning Information

When to Add:

• Plant poisoning incident occurs in your operations
• Expanding to regions with endemic toxic plants
• Wildlife conservation areas contain toxic vegetation
• Veterinarians identify gaps in plant poisoning knowledge

How to Add:

1. Navigate to Knowledge API, Plant Poisonings
2. Click "Add New Plant Poisoning"
3. Enter plant names (common name and scientific name)
4. Describe plant (appearance, where it grows, habitat)
5. Select animal types affected
6. Identify toxic parts of plant
7. Specify toxicity level
8. List clinical symptoms
9. Describe treatment approaches (if any)
10. Explain prevention strategies
11. Include photos if available (helps identification)
12. Link to relevant resources
13. Save and publish

Outbreak Tracking

Purpose of Outbreak Tracking

Current outbreak information helps users assess risks and implement proactive prevention. Farmers know which diseases are circulating regionally. Veterinarians anticipate likely diagnoses. Conservationists protect endangered populations from spreading diseases. Regulatory authorities coordinate disease response.

Adding Outbreak Information

When to Add:

• New disease outbreak reported in your region
• Regulatory authorities announce outbreak
• Veterinary networks report disease spread
• Media reports disease events affecting animal populations

What Outbreak Entries Contain:

• Disease name (linked to disease profile)
• Location (country, region, specific area if known)
• Date reported
• Scale (number of animals affected, farms impacted)
• Zoonotic potential (human health risk)
• Control measures implemented
• Status (active, contained, resolved)

How to Add Outbreak:

1. Navigate to Knowledge API, Outbreaks
2. Click "Add New Outbreak"
3. Select disease (from disease database)
4. Enter location details
5. Specify date outbreak reported
6. Describe scale (animals affected, geographic spread)
7. Note zoonotic potential (critical for public health awareness)
8. List control measures (quarantines, movement restrictions, vaccination campaigns, depopulation)
9. Set status (active, contained, resolved)
10. Provide source (regulatory report, OIE notification, media report)
11. Save and publish

Updating Outbreak Status

As outbreaks progress, update status (active to contained to resolved), revise scale (as more farms affected or control measures succeed), update control measures (as response evolves), and document resolution (when outbreak conclusively ends).

Outbreak Lifecycle:

1. Active: Disease spreading, control measures ongoing
2. Contained: Spread stopped, monitoring continues
3. Resolved: Outbreak conclusively over, restrictions lifted

Users see outbreak alerts filtered by relevance (geographic proximity, animal types, operational context).

Jurisdiction and Authority Contact Management

Jurisdictions

What Jurisdictions Are: Geographic administrative units with regulatory authority over animal health: countries, states/provinces, regions, districts.

Why Jurisdictions Matter: Emergency contacts, regulatory requirements, and outbreak information are jurisdiction-specific. When a user needs to report suspected foot-and-mouth disease, they need emergency contacts for their jurisdiction, not generic contacts.

How to Add Jurisdictions:

1. Navigate to Knowledge API, Jurisdictions
2. Click "Add New Jurisdiction"
3. Enter jurisdiction name (e.g., "Kenya", "New South Wales, Australia", "Bavaria, Germany")
4. Specify jurisdiction type (national, subnational)
5. Link to parent jurisdiction if subnational (e.g., "New South Wales" with parent "Australia")
6. Save jurisdiction

Subnational Jurisdictions: For countries with state/provincial authorities, add subnational jurisdictions: Australia (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland), United States (California, Texas, New York), Germany (Bavaria, Saxony, Baden-Württemberg).

Users see contacts for their specific subnational jurisdiction (more relevant than national contacts alone).

Authority Emergency Contacts

What Authority Contacts Are: Government agencies, emergency hotlines, regulatory authorities, disease control centres users contact during animal health emergencies.

Why They're Critical: During disease emergencies, users need immediate access to correct authority contacts: national emergency disease reporting hotlines, state/provincial veterinary services, wildlife disease reporting agencies, zoonotic disease public health contacts, specialised disease control centres (e.g., FMD emergency lines).

What Contact Entries Contain:

• Authority name (e.g., "Kenya Directorate of Veterinary Services - Emergency Disease Reporting")
• Contact type (emergency hotline, veterinary services, wildlife authority, public health)
• Phone number (ideally 24/7 emergency line)
• Email address
• Website
• Jurisdiction (which geographic area this contact serves)
• Diseases handled (all diseases, specific diseases like rabies or FMD)

How to Add Authority Contacts:

1. Navigate to Knowledge API, Authority Contacts
2. Click "Add New Contact"
3. Enter authority name
4. Select contact type
5. Provide contact details (phone, email, website)
6. Link to jurisdiction (which geographic area?)
7. Specify diseases handled (all notifiable diseases, specific diseases, wildlife diseases, zoonotic diseases)
8. Note hours of operation (24/7, business hours, emergency only)
9. Add notes if needed (e.g., "Use this number only for FMD emergencies")
10. Save contact

When to Update Contacts:

• Phone numbers change
• Agencies reorganise or merge
• New emergency hotlines established
• Contact information becomes outdated
• User reports contact no longer functional

Regular Contact Review: Annually verify all emergency contacts still accurate. Test phone numbers periodically (ensure still operational). Check websites for updated contact information. Remove obsolete contacts (discontinued services).

Critical Importance: During disease emergencies, users rely on accurate emergency contacts. Outdated contact information can delay critical reporting, worsen outbreaks, and undermine regulatory compliance. Keep contacts current.

Knowledge API Administration Best Practices

Data Quality Standards

Accuracy: Verify information with authoritative sources (OIE, FAO, national veterinary authorities, peer-reviewed research). Don't rely on single source. Cross-reference information. Update information when new research or regulatory guidance becomes available.

Completeness: Include all essential information users need for decision-making. Don't leave critical fields blank (incubation periods, transmission rates, reporting requirements). Link diseases to explainers, resources, and authority contacts.

Consistency: Use consistent terminology across disease profiles. Apply similar detail levels for similar diseases. Maintain consistent tone (professional, clear, practical).

Relevance: Focus on diseases relevant to your organisational context. Prioritise diseases likely to be encountered in your operations. Don't add every possible disease. Curate meaningfully.

Maintenance Schedules

Regular Reviews:

• Quarterly: Review disease epidemiological parameters for major diseases (FMD, AI, rabies)
• Annually: Comprehensive review of all disease profiles, authority contacts, jurisdictions
• As Needed: Update when outbreaks occur, regulations change, or user feedback identifies issues

Contact Verification:

• Annually: Verify all authority emergency contacts still accurate
• After Regulatory Changes: Update when government agencies reorganise
• User Reports: Immediately investigate when users report contact issues

Outbreak Updates:

• Weekly: Review active outbreaks for status changes
• When Reported: Add new outbreaks as soon as credible reports available
• Resolution: Update status when outbreaks conclusively end

User Feedback Integration

Listen to Users: When veterinarians request specific diseases, assess whether addition benefits broader user base. When users report confusing explanations, revise explainers for clarity. When users can't find emergency contacts, assess jurisdiction coverage gaps.

Solicit Feedback: Ask veterinarians which disease profiles need improvement. Survey users annually about Knowledge Hub usefulness. Monitor which diseases users search for (identify gaps).

Document Feedback: Keep record of user requests and how you responded. Track disease additions based on operational needs. Document explanatory improvements based on user confusion.

Common Knowledge API Workflows

Workflow 1: Adding Disease After Outbreak

Scenario: African swine fever (ASF) outbreak occurs in neighbouring country. Your pig operation needs ASF profile in Knowledge Hub.

Steps:

1. Access Knowledge API, Disease Database
2. Click "Add New Disease"
3. Enter disease name: "African Swine Fever (ASF)"
4. Select animal types: Pigs
5. Write short description: "Highly contagious viral disease of pigs causing high mortality with no treatment or vaccine available."
6. Write comprehensive overview (2 paragraphs explaining ASF significance, economic impact, control challenges)
7. Enter detailed description (clinical characteristics, epidemiology)
8. List clinical symptoms: Fever, loss of appetite, skin lesions, sudden death, haemorrhages
9. Set epidemiological parameters: Transmission Rate (0.8, high), Incubation Period (4-19 days), Contagious Period (Variable), Zoonotic (No)
10. Write emergency response recommendations (immediate quarantine, notification, biosecurity lockdown)
11. Specify reporting: Notifiable disease, immediate notification required
12. List endemic countries: Sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Europe, Asia
13. Save and publish

Outcome: All users can now search ASF. Veterinarians can diagnose ASF (triggering appropriate quarantine and contact tracing). Farmers have emergency contact information.

Time Required: 45 minutes (including research to verify accurate epidemiological parameters)

Workflow 2: Updating Emergency Contacts After Reorganisation

Scenario: State veterinary service restructures, new emergency hotline established, old number discontinued.

Steps:

1. Access Knowledge API, Authority Contacts
2. Search for old contact: "State Veterinary Services Emergency Line"
3. Click "Edit"
4. Update phone number (new emergency hotline)
5. Update contact name if authority renamed
6. Verify email and website (may have changed during reorganisation)
7. Add note: "Contact updated December 2025 after agency restructure"
8. Save updated contact
9. (Optional) Search for old contact number elsewhere in system
10. Send notification to users: "Emergency contact updated, bookmark new number"

Outcome: Users have current emergency contact information, preventing delays during future disease emergencies.

Time Required: 15 minutes

Workflow 3: Quarterly Knowledge Base Review

Scenario: Scheduled quarterly review of disease database, contacts, and outbreak information.

Steps:

Week 1: Disease Profile Review

• Review 10-15 most frequently accessed disease profiles
• Verify epidemiological parameters still current
• Check links to resources (any broken links?)
• Update geographic distribution if disease spread or eradicated
• Note diseases needing major revisions

Week 2: Authority Contact Verification

• Review all authority emergency contacts
• Call 5-10 emergency hotlines to verify functional
• Check websites for updated contact information
• Remove discontinued contacts
• Add new authorities if identified

Week 3: Outbreak Update

• Review all "Active" outbreaks
• Research current status (still active, contained, resolved?)
• Update outbreak status based on current information
• Archive resolved outbreaks older than 6 months
• Add any new outbreaks identified during research

Week 4: Documentation and Planning

• Document review findings
• Create task list for identified improvements
• Plan content additions (explainers needed, diseases to add)
• Report review completion to management

Time Required: 8-10 hours spread over four weeks Frequency: Quarterly Outcome: Knowledge Hub remains current, accurate, and relevant

Troubleshooting Knowledge API Issues

Issue: Users Can't Find Disease They're Looking For

Possible Causes: Disease not yet added to database, search terms don't match disease name, disease filed under different animal type than expected

Resolution:

1. Verify disease name (is user using correct terminology?)
2. Search disease database (does it exist under different name?)
3. If disease missing, assess whether it should be added
4. If search issue, consider adding alternative names to disease profile
5. If categorisation issue, add disease to additional animal types

Issue: Emergency Contact Number Not Working

Possible Causes: Contact information outdated, number changed without notification, phone line temporarily down, user dialling incorrectly (international codes, area codes)

Resolution:

1. Immediately verify contact number (call it yourself)
2. If number incorrect, research correct contact
3. Update contact immediately
4. Notify users of corrected contact information
5. Document issue and resolution

Issue: Outbreak Information Outdated

Possible Causes: Outbreak status changed but not updated in system, inadequate monitoring of outbreak reports, information sources delayed

Resolution:

1. Research current outbreak status (regulatory reports, OIE notifications)
2. Update outbreak status immediately
3. Improve outbreak monitoring workflow (more frequent checks)
4. Document outbreak status changes

Issue: Disease Parameters Don't Match User Expectations

Possible Causes: Incorrect parameters entered initially, parameters based on outdated research, user confusion about parameter meaning, genuine disagreement about epidemiological values

Resolution:

1. Review original sources for disease parameters
2. Cross-reference with authoritative publications (OIE, FAO)
3. If parameters incorrect, update immediately
4. If parameters correct, create explainer helping users understand
5. Document parameter sources for transparency

Integration with Other Admin Functions

Knowledge API Administration connects to:

User Management (27.2):

• Veterinarians approved can diagnose diseases using Knowledge Hub
• Users with appropriate permissions can access Knowledge Hub

System Maintenance (27.3):

• Knowledge API health checks verify database accessibility
• Backups include Knowledge API content
• System performance affects Knowledge Hub search speed

Security & Audit (27.5):

• Knowledge API modifications logged create audit trail of content changes
• Access monitoring tracks who modifies disease database

Knowledge API is foundational to Kora's disease management capabilities. Maintaining it is essential SuperUser responsibility.