title: Bayesian estimation of Tritrichomonas foetus diagnostic test sensitivity and specificity in range beef bulls.
abstract: Accuracy of culture for diagnosis of Tritrichomonas foetus was investigated in 2832 naturally exposed range beef bulls from 124 herds. Preputial fluid samples were inoculated into the culture medium, incubated at 37 degrees C, and daily examined. Diagnostic test was evaluated using Bayesian techniques to estimate sensitivity and specificity without a gold standard. Median posterior test sensitivity was 72.04% (95% probability interval: 58.07-86.38%) and specificity was 95.37% (95% probability interval: 94.07-96.65%). Low diagnostic test accuracy may have resulted from host and/or diagnostic test procedure related factors. Under natural range conditions, more accurate methods for T. foetus diagnostic and repeated preputial samplings of bulls may be necessary on trichomonosis control programs.
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto Nacional Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Balcarce, Argentina. amperez@balcarce.inta.gov.ar
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cobo
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campero
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Späth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D001826:Body Fluids / Q000469:parasitology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016835:Tritrichomonas foetus / Q000302:isolation & purification*