ADVANCEMENTS IN EARLY DISEASE DETECTION INTEGRATING MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS IN VETERINARY HEALTHCARE

Absar Ahmad; Ulfat Batool; Zehra Fatima; Yasin Mahmood

doi:10.71146/kjmr950

Authors

Absar Ahmad Department of Para Veterinary Institute Karor Lal Eason Sub Campus, University of Veterinary and Animal Science, Lahore, Pakistan. Author
Ulfat Batool Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Author
Zehra Fatima Master of Science (MSc) in Zoology, University of Sargodha, Pakistan. Author
Yasin Mahmood Rehman Medical Institute (RMI), Peshawar, Pakistan. Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71146/kjmr950

Keywords:

Molecular diagnostics, early detection, veterinary healthcare, PCR, CRISPR, diagnostic accuracy, animal health

Abstract

Background: Effective diagnostic, early and early accurate determination of disease is a very essential part of veterinary care. Common traditional diagnostic measures e.g. ELISA, microscopy, culture fail to recognize the illness at subclinical state and therefore infections are unable to be caught in time leading to proliferation of the disease. Molecular diagnostics - New tools Molecular diagnostics - mostly PCR, qPCR, LAMP, and CRISPR-based tests - provide alternative rapid, highly sensitive, and specific assays that can completely change veterinary diagnostics.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to assess how molecular diagnostics were being introduced into everyday veterinary healthcare practices and how the implementation of molecular diagnostics had affected the accuracy of a disease-diagnosis, the time to diagnosis and the clinical results.

Method: Recruitment was based on a cross-sectional, mixed-method study that was performed in five veterinary practices. In five infectious diseases, which were canine parvovirus, bovine tuberculosis, leptospira, feline calicivirus, and avian influenza, quantitative data was used to compare the sensitivity, specificity, and treatment results in traditional approaches and molecular approaches. The focus group of veterinary personnel was considered through semi-structured interviews to identify obstacles and catalysts of molecular diagnostics implementation.

Results: The molecular diagnostics, showed larger sensitivity (92-98 percent) than conventional tools (65-81 percent), and a larger specificity (93-97 percent) than the traditional tools (79-88 percent). The delay to diagnosis was down by 60-80 percent and recovery rates of 22 percent improved. Nonetheless, its adoption was unequal in terms of the cost of the equipment, training deficiency, and regulatory challenges.

Conclusion: In veterinary medicine, molecular diagnostics are quite effective in enhancing early detection of diseases and better clinical outcomes. There should be strategic investments in infrastructure, training of the work force and reformation of policies to increase their use in various veterinary applications.

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