Management of avian malaria in populations of high conservation concern.

Avian malaria is a vector-borne disease that is caused by Plasmodium parasites. These parasites are transmitted via mosquito bites and can cause sickness or death in a wide variety of birds, including many threatened and endangered species. This Primer first provides contextual background for the avian malaria system including the life cycle, geographic distribution and spread. Then, we focus on recent advances in understanding avian malaria ecology, including how avian malaria can lead to large ecosystem changes and variation in host immune responses to Plasmodium infection. Finally, we review advances in avian malaria management in vulnerable bird populations including genetic modification methods suitable for limiting the effects of this disease in wild populations and the use of sterile insect techniques to reduce vector abundance.

Comparison of Minimally Invasive Monitoring Methods and Live Trapping in Mammals.

The conservation and management of wildlife requires the accurate assessment of wildlife population sizes. However, there is a lack of synthesis of research that compares methods used to estimate population size in the wild. Using a meta-analysis approach, we compared the number of detected individuals in a study made using live trapping and less invasive approaches, such as camera trapping and genetic identification. We scanned 668 papers related to these methods and identified data for 44 populations (all focused on mammals) wherein at least two methods (live trapping, camera trapping, genetic identification) were used. We used these data to quantify the difference in number of individuals detected using trapping and less invasive methods using a regression and used the residuals from each regression to evaluate potential drivers of these trends. We found that both trapping and less invasive methods (camera traps and genetic analyses) produced similar estimates overall, but less invasive methods tended to detect more individuals compared to trapping efforts (mean = 3.17 more individuals). We also found that the method by which camera data are analyzed can significantly alter estimates of population size, such that the inclusion of spatial information was related to larger population size estimates. Finally, we compared counts of individuals made using camera traps and genetic data and found that estimates were similar but that genetic approaches identified more individuals on average (mean = 9.07 individuals). Overall, our data suggest that all of the methods used in the studies we reviewed detected similar numbers of individuals. As live trapping can be more costly than less invasive methods and can pose more risk to animal well-fare, we suggest minimally invasive methods are preferable for population monitoring when less-invasive methods can be deployed efficiently.

Validity of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression screening in adult primary care users in Bucaramanga, Colombia. / Validez del Cuestionario de salud del paciente-9 (PHQ-9) para cribado de depresión en adultos usuarios de Atención Primaria en Bucaramanga, Colombia.

The patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is one of the most widely used self-report instruments in primary care. There is no criterion validity of the PHQ-9 in Colombia. The objective was to validate the PHQ-9 as a screening tool in primary care. A cross-sectional, scale criterion validity study was performed using as reference criterion the mini neuropsychiatric interview (MINI) in male and female adult users of primary care centres. We calculated the internal consistency and convergent and criterion validity of the PHQ-9 by analysing the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and the area under the curve (AUC). We analysed 243 participants; 184 (75.7%) were female. The average age was 34.05 (median of 31 and SD = 12.47). Cronbach's α was 0.80 and McDonald's ω was 0.81. Spearman's Rho was 0.64 for HADS-D (P <0.010) and 0.70 for PHQ-2 (P <0.010). The AUC was 0.92 (95% CI 0.880-0.963). The optimal cut-off point of PHQ-9 was ≥7: sensitivity of 90.38 (95% CI: 81.41-99.36); specificity of 81.68 (95% CI: 75.93-87.42); PPV 57.32 (95% CI: 46.00-68.63); NPV 96.89 (95% CI: 93.90-99.88); Youden index 0.72 (95% CI: 0.62-0.82); LR+ 4.93 (95% CI: 3.61-6.74); LR- 0.12 (95% CI: 0.005-0.270). In sum, the Colombian version of PHQ-9 is a valid and reliable instrument for depression screening in primary care in Bucaramanga, with a cut-off point ≥7.

Validez del Cuestionario de salud del paciente-9 (PHQ-9) para cribado de depresión en adultos usuarios de Atención Primaria en Bucaramanga, Colombia / Validity of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression screening in adult primary care users in Bucaramanga, Colombia

RESUMEN El Cuestionario de salud del paciente-9 (PHQ-9) es uno de los instrumentos de autoinforme más utilizado en Atención Primaria (AP). No existe validez de criterio del PHQ-9 en Colombia. El objetivo fue realizar la validez de criterio del PHQ-9 como instrumento de cribado en AP. Se realizó un estudio trasversal de validez de criterio de una escala usando como criterio de referencia la minientrevista neuropsiquiátrica (MINI) en usuarios adultos de centros de AP de ambos sexos. Se calcularon la consistencia interna y la validez convergente y de criterio del PHQ-9 mediante el análisis de las características operativas del receptor (COR) y el área bajo la curva (ABC). Participaron 243 pacientes, 184 (75,7%) fueron de sexo femenino. El promedio de edad fue 34,05 (mediana 31 y DE = 12,47). El α de Cronbach fue 0,80 y ω de McDonald, 0,81. La rho de Spearman fue 0,64 para HADS-D (p < 0,010) y 0,70 para PHQ-2 (p < 0,010). El ABC fue 0,92 (IC del 95%, 0,880-0,963). El punto de corte óptimo del PHQ-9 fue ≥ 7: sensibilidad de 90,38 (IC del 95%: 81,41-99,36); especificidad de 81,68 (IC del 95%: 75,93-87,42); el VPP 57,32 (IC del 95%: 46,00-68,63); el VPN 96,89 (IC del 95%: 93,90-99,88); índice de Youden 0,72 (IC del 95%: 0,62-0,82; LR+ 4,93 (IC del 95%: 3,61-6,74); LR- 0,12 (IC del 95%: 0,005-0,270). En conclusión, la versión colombiana del PHQ-9 es un instrumento válido y confiable para el cribado de depresión en AP de Bucaramanga, con un punto de corte ≥ 7.

ABSTRACT The patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) is one of the most widely used self-report instruments in primary care. There is no criterion validity of the PHQ-9 in Colombia. The objective was to validate the PHQ-9 as a screening tool in primary care. A cross-sectional, scale criterion validity study was performed using as reference criterion the mini neuropsychiatric interview (MINI) in male and female adult users of primary care centres. We calculated the internal consistency and convergent and criterion validity of the PHQ-9 by analysing the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and the area under the curve (AUC). We analysed 243 participants; 184 (75.7%) were female. The average age was 34.05 (median of 31 and SD = 12.47). Cronbach's α was 0.80 and McDonald's ω was 0.81. Spearman's Rho was 0.64 for HADS-D (P <0.010) and 0.70 for PHQ-2 (P <0.010). The AUC was 0.92 (95% CI 0.880-0.963). The optimal cut-off point of PHQ-9 was ≥7: sensitivity of 90.38 (95% CI: 81.41-99.36); specificity of 81.68 (95% CI: 75.93-87.42); PPV 57.32 (95% CI: 46.00-68.63); NPV 96.89 (95% CI: 93.90-99.88); Youden index 0.72 (95% CI: 0.62-0.82); LR+ 4.93 (95% CI: 3.61-6.74); LR- 0.12 (95% CI: 0.005-0.270). In sum, the Colombian version of PHQ-9 is a valid and reliable instrument for depression screening in primary care in Bucaramanga, with a cut-off point ≥ 7.