CT Angiography: Clearer Picture, Fuzzier Reception

Abstract

by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is developing a system that could be used to monitor the emergence of zoonotic diseases in pets (Glickman LT et al. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2006;6:14-23). The National Companion Animal Surveillance Program uses a centralized database of electronic records from the more than 80 000 animals treated weekly at Banfield pet hospitals, a nationwide chain of veterinary hospitals. Other data have been included from VCA Antech Diagnostics, a nationwide network of laboratories used by 18 000 private veterinary practices. “We think by identifying problems in these pets, we can identify problems such as unusual viral or bacterial infections before they are transmitted to humans—or at least early in the process,” said Larry T. Glickman, DrPH, professor of epidemiology at Purdue University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette, Ind. Glickman said the surveillance system can be used to identify clusters of unusual disease symptoms or to monitor pets for a disease of interest. For example, the system could be used to monitor cats for avian influenza. Cases of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza have been documented in domesticcats inGermanyandAustria,although it isnotknownif theycanspreadthevirus to humans. However, the fact that many domestic cats may hunt wild birds and have close contact with their human owners makes them a potential concern, Glickman said. Banfield’s electronic record system could be used to alertveterinarianstocollectsamples from catswith signsof influenzalike illness for furthertesting.Dataontheresultsof these tests and the geographic location of the animal could be compared with human data to monitor for potential crossspecies transmission. A similar centralizedelectronicdatabaseofpatientrecords might provide valuable information about human disease as well, he said. “It puts primary care physicians and veterinarians at the forefront of disease surveillance where they belong,” Glickman said. CT Angiography: Clearer Picture, Fuzzier Reception