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- Author or Editor: Roberta M. Dwyer x
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Abstract
Objective—To develop an early-warning automated surveillance-data–analysis system for early outbreak detection and reporting and to assess its performance on an abortion outbreak in mares in Kentucky.
Sample Population—426 data sets of abortions in mares in Kentucky during December 2000 to July 2001.
Procedures—A custom software system was developed to automatically extract and analyze data from a Laboratory Information Management System database. The software system was tested on data on abortions in mares in Kentucky reported between December 1, 2000, and July 31, 2001. The prospective space-time permutations scan statistic, proposed by Kulldorff, was used to detect and identify abortion outbreak signals.
Results—Results indicated that use of the system would have detected the abortion outbreak approximately 1 week earlier than traditional surveillance systems. However, the geographic scale of analysis was critical for highest sensitivity in outbreak detection. Use of the lower geographic scale of analysis (ie, postal [zip code]) enhanced earlier detection of significant clusters, compared with use of the higher geographic scale (ie, county).
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—The automated surveillance-data–analysis system would be useful in early detection of endemic, emerging, and foreign animal disease outbreaks and might help in detection of a bioterrorist attack. Manual analyses of such a large number of data sets (ie, 426) with a computationally intensive algorithm would be impractical toward the goal of achieving near real-time surveillance. Use of this early-warning system would facilitate early interventions that should result in more positive health outcomes.
Abstract
Objective—To determine sources of Salmonella organisms in a veterinary teaching hospital, compare bacterial culture with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for detection of Salmonella organisms in environmental samples, and evaluate the effects of various disinfectants on detection of Salmonella organisms on surface materials.
Design—Prospective study.
Sample Population—Fecal samples from 638 hospitalized horses and 783 environmental samples.
Procedure—Standard bacterial culture techniques were used; the PCR test amplified a segment of the Salmonella DNA. Five disinfectants were mixed with Salmonella suspensions, and bacterial culture was performed. Swab samples were collected from 7 surface materials after inoculation of the surfaces with Salmonella Typhimurium, with or without addition of a disinfectant, and submitted for bacterial culture and PCR testing.
Results—Salmonella organisms were detected in fecal samples from 35 (5.5%) horses. For environmental samples, the proportion of positive bacterial culture results (1/783) was significantly less than the proportion of positive PCR test results (110/783), probably because of detection of nonviable DNA by the PCR test. Detection of Salmonella organisms varied with the surface material tested, the method of detection (bacterial culture vs PCR testing), and the presence and type of disinfectant.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results of the present study suggested that Salmonella organisms can be isolated from feces of hospitalized horses and a variety of environmental surfaces in a large animal hospital. Although recovery of Salmonella organisms was affected by surface material and disinfectant, bleach was the most effective disinfectant on the largest number of surfaces tested. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001;218:1145–1151)
Abstract
Objective—To identify factors associated with excessive proportions of early fetal losses associated with mare reproductive loss syndrome in central Kentucky during 2001.
Design—Case-control study.
Procedure—Questionnaires were used to collect information on farm-, pasture-, and individual animallevel factors purportedly associated with mare reproductive loss syndrome. Data were collected for 133 farms (97 with excessive proportions of early fetal losses and 36 control farms) representing 6,576 mares.
Results—Factors significantly associated with an increased risk of excessive early fetal losses were exposure to moderate to high concentrations of Eastern tent caterpillars, exposure to cherry trees, farm size ≥ 50 broodmares, being bred during February 2001, and frequent exposure to waterfowl. Feeding hay to mares outside was associated with a decreased risk of excessive proportions of early fetal losses. Pasture composition and management factors were not significantly different between affected and control pastures. Individual animal-level factors were investigated on 6 farms representing 340 mares, and age, parity, and pre- and postbreeding treatments were not significantly associated with risk of early fetal loss.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results suggest that limiting exposure to Eastern tent caterpillars and cherry trees and feeding hay to mares outside may help decrease the risk of excessive proportions of early fetal losses associated with mare reproductive loss syndrome. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2003;222: 613–619)
