A meta-analysis-guided sampling plan for estimating the prevalence of 10 zoonotic and 4 transboundary animal diseases across India
- 1Division of Statistics, Indian Council for Agricultural Research – National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics , ,
- 2Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University , ,
- 3Biotechnology Research Innovation Council – National Institute of Biotechnology , ,
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Both natural and anthropogenic factors impact the emergence, sustenance, and spread of zoonotic diseases and Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs). Surveillance of such diseases depends on establishing baseline prevalence data, which necessitates a scientifically rigorous plan for data collection. This study aimed to establish a robust plan for estimating the prevalence of 10 zoonotic diseases (brucellosis, tuberculosis, Q-fever, scrub typhus, Japanese encephalitis, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, cysticercosis, cryptosporidiosis, listeriosis, salmonellosis) and four TADs (swine influenza, porcine reproductive and respiratory disease, lumpy skin disease, African swine fever) in India.
Methods: Based on a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted in accordance with PRISMA Guidelines, using random effects model with heterogeneity quantified by the I2 statistics estimate of preliminary prevalence rates, and incorporating predetermined sensitivity and specificity values for the assays to be employed, a two-stage stratified random surveillance plan was generated with 95% confidence level, using an in-house developed epi-calculator, with the village as the stratification variable for the targeted animal species in different states of India.
Results: The pooled prevalence estimates of the 14 diseases ranged from 4 to 30% (95% confidence intervals reported in the corresponding meta-analysis estimates). Based on these pooled prevalence estimates, a village-level surveillance plan comprising 34,975 samples across 2,018 villages was generated for India.
Conclusion: This is the first scientifically rigorous meta-analysis-based sampling plan under one platform for many diseases. This could facilitate a robust prevalence study, which could serve as an effective tool for monitoring zoonotic diseases and TADs that are a threat to India.
Related
- Pathogenicity and zoonotic potential of a novel pdm09-lineage H1N2 swine influenza A virus spatiotemporally linked to transboundary pig trade
- Wildlife disease surveillance under uncertainty: an adaptive search-theoretic framework for early detection of transboundary animal diseases
- Giardia duodenalis in domestic cats from the US and Canada: Prevalence and zoonotic potential
- ZOOJEU: Using Q fever to highlight a participatory science approach for fostering the co-design of management strategies for neglected zoonotic diseases
- Estimating Gene Prevalence with Incomplete Genomes: Application to the Prochlorococcus Pangenome
BibTeX
@article{suresh2026metaanalysisguided,
title = {{A meta-analysis-guided sampling plan for estimating the prevalence of 10 zoonotic and 4 transboundary animal diseases across India}},
author = {K. P. Suresh and M. Ashwini and P. Azhahianambi and Subeer S. Majumdar and Nagendra R. Hegde},
journal = {Frontiers in veterinary science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fvets.2026.1919244},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13720287},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A meta-analysis-guided sampling plan for estimating the prevalence of 10 zoonotic and 4 transboundary animal diseases across India
AU - K. P. Suresh
AU - M. Ashwini
AU - P. Azhahianambi
AU - Subeer S. Majumdar
AU - Nagendra R. Hegde
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/16
JO - Frontiers in veterinary science
DO - 10.3389/fvets.2026.1919244
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13720287
AB - Background and Objectives: Both natural and anthropogenic factors impact the emergence, sustenance, and spread of zoonotic diseases and Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs). Surveillance of such diseases depends on establishing baseline prevalence data, which necessitates a scientifically rigorous plan for data collection. This study aimed to establish a robust plan for estimating the prevalence of 10 zoonotic diseases (brucellosis, tuberculosis, Q-fever, scrub typhus, Japanese encephalitis, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, cysticercosis, cryptosporidiosis, listeriosis, salmonellosis) and four TADs (swine influenza, porcine reproductive and respiratory disease, lumpy skin disease, African swine fever) in India. Methods: Based on a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted in accordance with PRISMA Guidelines, using random effects model with heterogeneity quantified by the I2 statistics estimate of preliminary prevalence rates, and incorporating predetermined sensitivity and specificity values for the assays to be employed, a two-stage stratified random surveillance plan was generated with 95% confidence level, using an in-house developed epi-calculator, with the village as the stratification variable for the targeted animal species in different states of India. Results: The pooled prevalence estimates of the 14 diseases ranged from 4 to 30% (95% confidence intervals reported in the corresponding meta-analysis estimates). Based on these pooled prevalence estimates, a village-level surveillance plan comprising 34,975 samples across 2,018 villages was generated for India. Conclusion: This is the first scientifically rigorous meta-analysis-based sampling plan under one platform for many diseases. This could facilitate a robust prevalence study, which could serve as an effective tool for monitoring zoonotic diseases and TADs that are a threat to India.
SN - 2297-1769
ER -