Outcomes Research, Animal Health, Center for Observational and Real-World Evidence, Merck & Co., Inc, Kenilworth, NJ, USA.
Otomys Software Solutions CC, PO Box 904 287, Faerie Glen, 0043, South Africa.
Parasit Vectors. 2018 Jul 3;11(1):386. doi: 10.1186/s13071-018-2962-x.
South African veterinarians report the perception of a multi-year decline in the number of dogs presenting with clinical babesiosis, a common and serious disease of dogs in the country. This study tested this observation through analysis of veterinary hospital medical records from 2011 through 2016.
Medical records were collected from 44 participating South African veterinary hospitals. The collected medical records were searched to enumerate the number of Babesia-specific medication treatments administered to dogs at all participating hospitals. A healthcare use rate was calculated for canine babesiosis treatment for each calendar year from 2011 to 2016. The healthcare use rate numerator was the total number of canine babesiosis treatments and the denominator was the total dog visits to all participating veterinary practices over the same period.
There were 2.6 million dog visits to 44 participating veterinary practices between 2011 and 2016. The number of canine babesiosis treatments for each year in chronological order starting with 2011 was: 2957; 2679; 2456; 2746; 2272; and 1592. South African regions with the highest number of canine babesiosis treatments were Gauteng, Free State and Mpumalanga. The overall calculated healthcare use rate for canine babesiosis treatment declined 72% over the study period from 1.18% in 2011 to 0.33% in 2016. The steepest decline of 31% was observed between 2015 and 2016.
South African veterinary practices saw a decline in canine babesiosis treatment administration from 2011 to 2016 with the steepest decline beginning in 2015.
南非兽医报告称，近年来，临床上出现犬巴贝斯虫病（一种在该国常见且严重的犬病）的犬只数量有所下降。本研究通过分析 2011 年至 2016 年兽医医院的医疗记录对此进行了检验。
从 44 家参与的南非兽医医院收集了医疗记录。在所有参与医院中，对收集的医疗记录进行了搜索，以统计治疗犬巴贝斯虫病的贝美格（specific medication）治疗次数。从 2011 年至 2016 年，为每年的犬巴贝斯虫病治疗计算了医疗保健使用率。医疗保健使用率的分子为犬巴贝斯虫病治疗的总数，分母为同期所有参与兽医诊所的犬只就诊总数。
2011 年至 2016 年间，共有 260 万只犬到 44 家参与的兽医诊所就诊。每年的犬巴贝斯虫病治疗次数分别为：2011 年 2957 次；2012 年 2679 次；2013 年 2456 次；2014 年 2746 次；2015 年 2272 次；2016 年 1592 次。接受犬巴贝斯虫病治疗次数最多的南非地区依次为豪登省、自由州省和姆普马兰加省。在研究期间，犬巴贝斯虫病治疗的整体医疗保健使用率从 2011 年的 1.18%下降到 2016 年的 0.33%，下降了 72%。2015 年至 2016 年的降幅最大，为 31%。
2011 年至 2016 年间，南非兽医诊所的犬巴贝斯虫病治疗量有所下降，2015 年开始出现急剧下降。
