Diagnostic testing patterns for Streptococcus equi subsp. equi in Ontario horses during the years 2008 to 2018.
Abstract: This retrospective study describes testing patterns and the incidence of subsp. in Ontario to assess the utility of laboratory data for surveillance purposes. Laboratory records for equine infectious disease test submissions were extracted from the Animal Health Laboratory (AHL) at the University of Guelph for the years 2008 to 2018. Yearly and seasonal trends in testing and the proportion of tests that returned positive results were assessed. The number of samples submitted for testing decreased over the 11-year period (odds ratio = 0.96, 95% confidence interval: 0.92 to 0.999; = 0.04). A generalized linear model identified a significant seasonal effect for animals recognized as clinically ill, with the highest test positivity noted in the winter. Although this study identified important trends in the incidence of in Ontario, the variability in information accompanying test submissions made the data challenging to interpret, highlighting the need for more complete diagnostic submission data for . . Cette étude rétrospective décrit les tendances des test et l’incidence de subsp. en Ontario pour évaluer l’utilité des données de laboratoire à des fins de surveillance. Les dossiers de laboratoire pour les soumissions de tests de maladies infectieuses équines ont été extraits des données du (AHL), pour les années 2008 à 2018. Les tendances annuelles et saisonnières des tests de et la proportion de tests qui ont donné des résultats positifs ont été évaluées. Le nombre d’échantillons soumis pour la recherche de a diminué au cours de la période de 11 ans (rapport de cotes = 0,96, intervalle de confiance à 95% : 0,92 à 0,999; = 0,04). Un modèle linéaire généralisé a identifié un effet saisonnier significatif pour les animaux reconnus comme cliniquement malades, la positivité de test la plus élevée étant notée en hiver. Bien que cette étude ait identifié des tendances importantes dans l’incidence de en Ontario, la variabilité des informations accompagnant les soumissions a rendu les données difficiles à interpréter, soulignant le besoin de données plus complètes lors de soumission pour le diagnostic .(Traduit par D Serge Messier).
Copyright and/or publishing rights held by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.
Publication Date: 2021-07-06 PubMed ID: 34219772PubMed Central: PMC8118178
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- Journal Article
- Animal Health
- Clinical Pathology
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Management
- Disease Prevalence
- Disease Surveillance
- Epidemiology
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Infectious Disease
- Laboratory Methods
- Public Health
- Retrospective Study
- Seasonal Variation
- Streptococcus
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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The research looks into the testing patterns and incidence rates of Streptococcus equi infection in horses in Ontario from 2008 to 2018, using data from the Animal Health Laboratory at the University of Guelph. Results indicated decreasing samples over the period, a significant seasonal effect with highest positivity in the winter, and the need for more consistent and complete diagnostic submission data due to challenging interpretation of the existing data.
Methodology
- A retrospective study was conducted, using laboratory records for equine infectious disease test submissions. These records were extracted from the Animal Health Laboratory (AHL) at the University of Guelph, covering the period from 2008 to 2018.
- Through these data, the researchers identified yearly and seasonal trends in Streptococcus equi subsp. equi testing and the proportion of tests coming back with positive results.
Key Findings
- There was observed a decrease in the number of samples submitted for Streptococcus equi testing over the 11-year period, (statistically presented as an odds ratio = 0.96, 95% confidence interval between 0.92 to 0.999, with a p-value = 0.04).
- The study also identified a significant seasonal effect for animals recognized as clinically ill, with the highest test positivity noted in the winter.
Challenges and Further Recommendations
- The research highlighted some limitations and issues, particularly in how the variability in information accompanying test submissions made the data hard to interpret.
- This difficulty in interpreting data emphasizes the need for more complete and well-structured diagnostic submission data for Streptococcus equi subsp. equi.
Conclusion
- This retrospective research efforts made key contributions in understanding the trends in the incidence of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi in Ontario’s horses over a decade.
- However, the study also notes that the way diagnostic data is currently submitted and recorded can present challenges in data analysis and interpretation, suggesting that more standardized procedures are needed for more accurate surveillance of equine diseases.
Cite This Article
APA
Brankston G, Rossi TM, O'Sullivan TL, Greer AL.
(2021).
Diagnostic testing patterns for Streptococcus equi subsp. equi in Ontario horses during the years 2008 to 2018.
Can Vet J, 62(6), 629-636.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1.
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1.
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1.
- Department of Population Medicine, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Diagnostic Tests, Routine
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horses
- Ontario / epidemiology
- Retrospective Studies
- Streptococcal Infections / diagnosis
- Streptococcal Infections / epidemiology
- Streptococcal Infections / veterinary
- Streptococcus
- Streptococcus equi
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Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Weese JS, Saab M, Moore A, Cai H, McClure JT. Relationship between quantitative real-time PCR cycle threshold and culture for detection of Streptococcus equi subspecies equi.. Can Vet J 2023 Jun;64(6):549-552.
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