title: Multiattribute evaluation of two simple tests for the detection of Cryptosporidium parvum in calf faeces.
abstract: There is a need for simple and inexpensive diagnostic and screening tests for the detection of Cryptosporidium parvum infection in calves. A sucrose wet mount test and a lateral immunochromatography test were evaluated for epidemiological sensitivity and specificity, cost per test, simplicity, test time and ease of batching. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of the Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (COWP) gene locus, with gel electrophoresis, was used as a gold standard. Cohen's kappa statistic of agreement (kappa) between the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) sucrose wet mount test and COWP PCR-RFLP was 0.82, and the sensitivity and specificity of the OVC sucrose wet mount test were 88.6% and 93.8%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the lateral immunochromatography test were 78.3% and 93.3%, respectively, and agreement between this test and PCR-RFLP was good (kappa=0.73). There was substantial agreement between the OVC sucrose wet mount test and the lateral immunochromatography test (kappa=0.84). Both tests were inexpensive and easy to use; however, the lateral immunochromatography test was faster and simpler to perform than the sucrose wet mount test, and was generally more user-friendly. These tests provide practitioners and researchers with cheap, quick and accurate methods of detecting C. parvum infection in young calves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., Canada. ltrotzwi@uoguelph.ca
authors.forename: Lise A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Trotz-Williams
authors.forename: S Wayne
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Duffield
authors.forename: Kenneth E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Leslie
authors.forename: Daryl V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Nydam
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jamieson
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Peregrine
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology*; D003457:Cryptosporidiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016785:Cryptosporidium parvum / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000191:economics / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000191:economics / Q000662:veterinary; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D011934:Reagent Strips / Q000191:economics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D011934:Reagent Strips; C106305:oocyst wall protein, Cryptosporidium