title: Evaluation of a combination of SIFT-MS and multivariate data analysis for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium bovis in wild badgers.
abstract: The currently accepted 'gold standard' tuberculosis (TB) detection method for veterinary applications is that of culturing from a tissue sample post mortem. The test is accurate, but growing Mycobacterium bovis is difficult and the process can take up to 12 weeks to return a diagnosis. In this paper we evaluate a much faster screening approach based on serum headspace analysis using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). SIFT-MS is a rapid, quantitative gas analysis technique, with sample analysis times of as little as a few seconds. Headspace from above serum samples from wild badgers, captured as part of a randomised trial, was analysed. Multivariate classification algorithms were then employed to extract a simple TB diagnosis from the complex multivariate response provided by the SIFT-MS instrument. This is the first time that such multivariate analysis has been applied to SIFT-MS data. An accuracy of TB discrimination of approximately 88% true positive was achieved which shows promise, but the corresponding false positive rate of 38% indicates that there is more work to do before this approach could replace the culture test. Recommendations for future work that could increase the performance are therefore proposed.
authors.affiliation: Cranfield University, Cranfield, Bedfordshire, UK MK43 0AL.
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Spooner
authors.forename: Conrad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bessant
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Knobloch
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chambers
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D045969:Mustelidae; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D014380:Tuberculosis, Bovine / Q000635:transmission; D006113:United Kingdom; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds