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.