title: Group testing for case identification with correlated responses.
abstract: This article examines group testing procedures where units within a group (or pool) may be correlated. The expected number of tests per unit (i.e., efficiency) of hierarchical- and matrix-based procedures is derived based on a class of models of exchangeable binary random variables. The effect on efficiency of the arrangement of correlated units within pools is then examined. In general, when correlated units are arranged in the same pool, the expected number of tests per unit decreases, sometimes substantially, relative to arrangements that ignore information about correlation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
authors.forename: Samuel D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lendle
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Hudgens
authors.forename: Bahjat F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Qaqish
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D000465:Algorithms; D001699:Biometry / Q000379:methods*; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018604:Epitope Mapping / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D015488:HIV Antigens