Walsh R, Gormally M, Zintl A, Carlin C
University of Galway, Applied Ecology Unit, Earth and Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, University of Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
University College Dublin, Applied Ecology Unit, Earth and Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, University of Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
Parasite Epidemiol Control. 2022 May 31;18:e00254. doi: 10.1016/j.parepi.2022.e00254. eCollection 2022 Aug.
Lyme borreliosis is a vector-borne disease of concern in Europe. While neuroborreliosis data are reportable at EU level, it can nevertheless be difficult to make comparisons of disease risk between neighbouring countries. This study used proportion meta-analyses to compare environmental markers of disease risk between woodland sites in two countries in North-Western Europe (Ireland, Scotland). 73 site-visits from 12 publications were analysed, resulting in a significantly higher pooled nymphal infection prevalence (NIP) in Ireland (8.2% (95% CI: 5.9-11.4%)) than Scotland (1.7%(95% CI 1.1-2.5%)). All other analysed parameters of disease risk were also higher in Ireland than Scotland. Subgroup-meta-analyses and meta-regressions were used to assess the influence of environmental variables on NIP. NIP increased significantly with increasing woodland size in Ireland, but not Scotland, which may be accounted for by Ireland's highly fragmented landscape. Assuming the application of strict inclusion/exclusion criteria and control of variables, proportion meta-analysis can provide useful insights in disease ecology, as it allows for the achievement of high study powers incorporating samples collected across multiple sites, which is otherwise often a prohibitively difficult and resource-heavy feat in environmental studies in disease ecology. A standardised approach to data collection is recommended to achieve more robust meta-analyses in future in conjunction with additional research on environmental factors affecting Lyme borreliosis risk in Europe, particularly pertaining to the impact of host species on NIP.
莱姆病是欧洲一种备受关注的媒介传播疾病。虽然神经莱姆病的数据在欧盟层面是可报告的,但比较邻国之间的疾病风险仍可能存在困难。本研究采用比例荟萃分析来比较西北欧两个国家(爱尔兰、苏格兰)林地中疾病风险的环境标志物。对来自12篇出版物的73次实地考察进行了分析,结果显示爱尔兰的若虫感染率汇总值(NIP)(8.2%(95%置信区间:5.9 - 11.4%))显著高于苏格兰(1.7%(95%置信区间1.1 - 2.5%))。爱尔兰所有其他分析的疾病风险参数也高于苏格兰。采用亚组荟萃分析和荟萃回归来评估环境变量对NIP的影响。在爱尔兰,NIP随林地面积增加而显著上升,但在苏格兰并非如此,这可能是由于爱尔兰高度破碎的景观所致。假设应用严格的纳入/排除标准并控制变量,比例荟萃分析可为疾病生态学提供有用的见解,因为它能够纳入多个地点收集的样本,从而实现较高的研究效能,否则在疾病生态学的环境研究中这通常是一项极其困难且资源消耗巨大的任务。建议采用标准化的数据收集方法,以便未来结合对影响欧洲莱姆病风险的环境因素的更多研究,特别是宿主物种对NIP的影响,实现更稳健的荟萃分析。