New veterinary software.

Software development is always very interesting. Just the thought that there is a new software avaiable often comunicates the conscious message that the workload may become simpler, easier and less cumbersome. However, many a time, the promise of the software does not perform to expectation in the face of the ground realities. Let us hope that the new epidemiological software recently developed will prove worthy of being an epidemiologist's devoted assistant. Thrushfield and colleagues at the Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies have developed better epidemiological software. The software package called WIN EPISCOPE version 2 is a Windows based application. The software includes, modules for the design and analysis of field surveys, control campaigns and observational studies, and a simple mathematical model. The software is bound to find application in the many different areas of veterinary epidemiology like the design of field surveys, identifying risk factors for multifactorial diseases, and assessing diagnostic tests. More importantly, this software is sure to benefit the Professor teaching the subject, because of its very systematic step by step approach and extensive help menus.

Reference for further reading:
Vet Rec 2001 May 5;148(18):567-72. WIN EPISCOPE 2.0: improved epidemiological software for veterinary medicine. Thrusfield M, Ortega C, de Blas I, Noordhuizen JP, Frankena K. Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, University of Edinburgh, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Roslin, Midlothian.