Equine vets are being urged to feed data on equine redworm incidents into a new surveillance project.
It is hoped essential case data on small and large strongyles (cyathostominosis and Strongylus vulgaris) submitted as part of RedWatch could aid research that in time leads to new prediction and reporting tools.
Vet and case details, diagnostic methods and clinical signs, premises population data and potential risk factors are among the key data the team behind RedWatch, Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance (EIDS), is seeking.
EIDS said all data would be securely stored and anonymised for public sharing, supporting education, awareness and research.
Exciting step
RedWatch has been developed to address equine industry concerns about changes in parasite-associated disease, allow for near real-time case sharing and awareness, and to drive research into disease risks and prevention.
Fleur Whitlock, veterinary surgeon and epidemiologist at EIDS, said: “RedWatch is an exciting step in equine parasitology surveillance.
“This initiative relies on veterinary surgeons sharing data and their engagement is key to filling knowledge gaps.
“By contributing case reports, vets can directly support efforts to prevent these devastating diseases and help pave the way for new tools like real-time reporting and risk warnings, similar to those used by SCOPS for sheep.”
Credit to: Call to vets to feed in equine redworm data (Vet Times)
Vet Times. (2024). Call to vets to feed in equine redworm data [online]
Available at: https://www.vettimes.co.uk/news/call-to-vets-to-feed-in-equine-redworm-data/
