Table 2.
Description and coding of reviews identified in this study. See Table 1 for explanation of review types.
| Citation | Type of review | Transparency | Comprehensiveness | Analysis: none, vote-counting or effect sizes | Critical appraisal | No evidence of effect vs. evidence of no effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otranto et al. (2015) | Configurative narrative integrative review | None | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Scasta (2015) | Configurative narrative integrative review | None | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Fagre et al. (2015) | Aggregative scoping review | Systematic search with search strings, dates, no search of grey literature and no justification for its exclusion | Unknown | Vote-counting (presence absence) | None | Explicit indication that the absence of effects does not mean that pathogens are not having an effect, merely that documentation does not exist for wild populations |
| Wiethoelter et al. (2015) | Aggregative scoping review | Systematic search with search strings, dates, no search of grey literature and no justification for its exclusion | Unknown | Temporal trends | None | Extended discussion on the fact this review was not intended to look for evidence of effects, just scientific interest in the topic |
| Becker et al. (2015) | Aggregative meta-analysis review | Systematic search with search strings, dates, no search of grey literature and no justification for its exclusion | Unknown | Effect sizes | Sample sizes mentioned with some analyses not possible due to low sample size, correction for bias | Evidence of no effect visualised in graphical form |
| Souza et al. (2015) | Configurative narrative integrative review | None | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Messenger et al. (2015) | Aggregative scoping review | Systematic search with search strings, dates, no search of grey literature and no justification for its exclusion | Unknown | Temporal trends | None | None |
| Fuehrer (2014) | Aggregative scoping review | Systematic search with search strings, no dates, no search of grey literature and no justification for its exclusion | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Civitello et al. (2014) | Aggregative meta-analysis review | Systematic search with search strings, dates, no search of grey literature and no justification for its exclusion | Unknown | Effect sizes | Data were known to be nonindependent, therefore no funnel plots or rank correlation tests to assess publication bias | None |
| Rowley et al. (2013) | Aggregative scoping review | None | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Carmena and Cardona (2013) | Configurative narrative integrative review | Databases searched are stated along with date ranges, but no search string and no screening methods | Unknown | None | Caution regarding sample size of some studies | None |
| Joseph et al. (2013) | Aggregative full literature review | Systematic search with search strings, dates, and search of grey literature | Unknown | description of trends | None | None |
| Young et al. (2013) | Aggregative meta-analysis review | Databases searched are stated along with search string but no dates (except for results) and no screening methods or grey literature search nor reason why not searched | Unknown | Effect sizes | trim and fill and forest plots | Strong evidence was not found which doesn’t mean it isn’t there, just this study didn’t find it |
| Brearley et al. (2013) | Aggregative scoping review | Databases searched are stated along with search string, but no date ranges search and little information on screening methods | Unknown | Vote-counting | Caution regarding number of studies used to infer trends | No mention of “no effect” |
| Mukaratirwa et al. (2013) | Configurative narrative integrative review | None | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Strauss et al. (2012) | Configurative narrative integrative review | None | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Jenkins et al. (2011) | Configurative narrative integrative review | None | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Wendte et al. (2011) | Aggregative scoping review | Databases searched are stated along with search string, but no date ranges and little information on screening methods | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Tompkins et al. (2011) | Aggregative scoping review | None | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Power (2010) | Configurative narrative integrative review | None | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Alasaad et al. (2013) | Configurative narrative integrative review | None | Unknown | Vote-counting | None | None |
| Fuehrer (2014) | Aggregative scoping review | Systematic search with search strings, no dates, no search of grey literature and no justification for its exclusion | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Donahoe et al. (2015) | Configurative narrative integrative review | None | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Duron et al. (2015) | Configurative narrative integrative review | None | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Pedersen and Fenton (2015) | Aggregative scoping review | None | See Supp Info for examples of papers missed | Vote-counting | None | A very small number of studies showing non-significant results is described as evidence of no effect rather than a lack of evidence: “not all drugs were efficacious for treating wildlife parasites”. This may be a result of limitations in search method or of the studies (too small, poor methods, insufficient dose) |
| Tompkins (2015) | Aggregative full literature review | Details of search strings used and databases searched, however no details of number of relevant publications identified through searching or screening, however no search of the grey literature and no justification for its exclusion | Unknown | A list of studies that fit the parameters of the search are provided, but the authors do not attempt to determine significance of evidence, only categorical classification of possible drivers of trends observed | Some | Explicitly discussed and the authors suggest that a more powerful analysis would be possible if there were more studies to examine |
| Poulin and Kamiya (2015) | Aggregative meta-analysis review | Details of search strings used, databases searched, details of number of publications and exclusion criteria however no search of the grey literature and no justification for its exclusion | Unknown | Effect sizes | Yes | Explicitly discussed under heterogeneity |
| Dutari and Loaiza (2014) | Aggregative scoping review | Few details of search strategy | Unknown | Temporal trends | None | None |
| Medlock et al. (2013) | Configurative narrative integrative review | Details of search strings used and databases searched, however no details of number of relevant publications identified through searching or screening, no search of the grey literature and no justification for its exclusion | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Walker and Morgan (2014) | Aggregative scoping review | Details of databases used, and search strings for some but not others, some other information | Unknown | Temporal trends | None | None |
| Watson (2013) | Aggregative meta-analysis review | Details of search strings used, databases searched, details of number of publications and exclusion criteria however no search of the grey literature and no justification for its exclusion | See Supp Info for examples of papers missed | Effect sizes | Sample sizes and species bias | Explicit discussion of file drawer problem |
| Catalano et al. (2014) | Configurative narrative integrative review | None | Unknown | None | None | None |
| Walker et al. (2014) | Aggregative full literature review | Details of search strings used and databases searched, however no details of number of relevant publications identified through searching or screening, however no search of the grey literature and no justification for its exclusion | Unknown | temporal trends and liability analysis | None | None |
| Shamsi (2014) | Aggregative scoping review | Some details of search string and dates | Unknown | temporal trends and liability analysis | None | None |
| Lymbery et al. (2014) | Configurative narrative integrative review | None | Unknown | percents | explicit discussion of bias due to selection process of studies used in analysis | None |