Multicenter evaluation of the Vetscan Imagyst system using Ocus 40 and EasyScan One scanners to detect gastrointestinal parasites in feces of dogs and cats.

The Vetscan Imagyst system (Zoetis) is a novel, artificial intelligence-driven detection tool that can assist veterinarians in the identification of enteric parasites in dogs and cats. This system consists of a sample preparation device, an automated digital microscope scanner, and a deep-learning algorithm. The EasyScan One scanner (Motic) has had good diagnostic performance compared with manual examinations by experts; however, there are drawbacks when used in veterinary practices in which space for equipment is often limited. To improve the usability of this system, we evaluated an additional scanner, the Ocus 40 (Grundium). Our objectives were to 1) qualitatively evaluate the performance of the Vetscan Imagyst system with the Ocus 40 scanner for identifying Ancylostoma, Toxocara, and Trichuris eggs, Cystoisospora oocysts, and Giardia cysts in canine and feline fecal samples, and 2) expand the assessment of the performance of the Vetscan Imagyst system paired with either the Ocus 40 or EasyScan One scanner to include a larger dataset of 2,191 fecal samples obtained from 4 geographic regions of the United States. When tested with 852 canine and feline fecal samples collected from different geographic regions, the performance of the Vetscan Imagyst system combined with the Ocus 40 scanner was correlated closely with manual evaluations by experts. Sensitivities were 80.0‒97.0% and specificities were 93.7‒100.0% across the targeted parasites. When tested with 1,339 fecal samples, the Vetscan Imagyst system paired with the EasyScan One scanner successfully identified the targeted parasite stages; sensitivities were 73.6‒96.4% and specificities were 79.7‒100.0%.

Further evaluation and validation of the VETSCAN IMAGYST: in-clinic feline and canine fecal parasite detection system integrated with a deep learning algorithm.

BACKGROUND: Fecal examinations in pet cats and dogs are key components of routine veterinary practice; however, their accuracy is influenced by diagnostic methodologies and the experience level of personnel performing the tests. The VETSCAN IMAGYST system was developed to provide simpler and easier fecal examinations which are less influenced by examiners' skills. This system consists of three components: a sample preparation device, an automated microscope scanner, and analysis software. The objectives of this study were to qualitatively evaluate the performance of the VETSCAN IMAGYST system on feline parasites (Ancylostoma and Toxocara cati) and protozoan parasites (Cystoisospora and Giardia) and to assess and compare the performance of the VETSCAN IMAGYST centrifugal flotation method to reference centrifugal and passive flotation methods. METHODS: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the scanning and algorithmic components of the VETSCAN IMAGYST system, fecal slides were prepared by the VETSCAN IMAGYST centrifugal flotation technique with pre-screened fecal samples collected from dogs and cats and examined by both an algorithm and parasitologists. To assess the performance of the VETSCAN IMAGYST centrifugal flotation technique, diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were calculated and compared to those of conventional flotation techniques. RESULTS: The performance of the VETSCAN IMAGYST algorithm closely correlated with evaluations by parasitologists, with sensitivity of 75.8-100% and specificity of 93.1-100% across the targeted parasites. For samples with 50 eggs or less per slide, Lin's concordance correlation coefficients ranged from 0.70 to 0.95 across the targeted parasites. The results of the VETSCAN IMAGYST centrifugal flotation method correlated well with those of the conventional centrifugal flotation method across the targeted parasites: sensitivity of 65.7-100% and specificity of 97.6-100%. Similar results were observed for the conventional passive flotation method compared to the conventional centrifugal flotation method: sensitivity of 56.4-91.7% and specificity of 99.4-100%. CONCLUSIONS: The VETSCAN IMAGYST scanning and algorithmic systems with the VETSCAN IMAGYST fecal preparation technique demonstrated a similar qualitative performance to the parasitologists' examinations with conventional fecal flotation techniques. Given the deep learning nature of the VETSCAN IMAGYST system, its performance is expected to improve over time, enabling it to be utilized in veterinary clinics to perform fecal examinations accurately and efficiently.

Salicylate degradation by the fungal plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

The fungal plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum was studied to determine its ability to degrade salicylate, an important defense-signaling molecule in plants. S. sclerotiorum D-E7 was grown at 25 °C in an undefined medium (50 ml) containing minerals, 0.1% soytone, 50 mM MES buffer (pH 6.5), 25 mM glucose, and 1 mM salicylate. Glucose, oxalate, and salicylate concentrations were monitored by HPLC. S. sclerotiorum D-E7 was found to be active in salicylate degradation. However, salicylate alone was not growth supportive and, at higher levels (10 mM), inhibited glucose-dependent growth. Biomass formation (130 mg [dry wt] of mycelium per 50 ml of undefined medium), oxalate concentrations (~10 mM), and culture acidification (final culture pH approximated 5) were essentially the same in cultures grown with or without salicylate (1 mM). Time-course analyses revealed that salicylate degradation and glucose consumption were complete after 7 days of incubation and was concomitant with growth. Trace amounts of catechol, a known intermediate of salicylate metabolism, were detected during salicylate degradation. Overall, these results indicated that S. sclerotiorum has the ability to degrade salicylate and that the presence of low levels of salicylate did not affect growth or oxalate production by S. sclerotiorum.