title: A new low-cost procedure for detecting nucleic acids in low-incidence samples: a case study of detecting spores of Paenibacillus larvae from bee debris.
abstract: American foulbrood, because of its virulence and worldwide spread, is currently one of the most dangerous diseases of honey bees. Quick diagnosis of this disease is therefore vitally important. For its successful eradication, however, all the hives in the region must be tested. This is time consuming and costly. Therefore, a fast and sensitive method of detecting American foulbrood is needed. Here we present a method that significantly reduces the number of tests needed by combining batches of samples from different hives. The results of this method were verified by testing each sample. A simulation study was used to compare the efficiency of the new method with testing all the samples and to develop a decision tool for determining when best to use the new method. The method is suitable for testing large numbers of samples (over 100) when the incidence of the disease is low (10% or less).
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic. stepan.ryba@gmail.com
authors.forename: Stepan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ryba
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kindlmann
authors.forename: Dalibor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Titera
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haklova
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stopka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000382:microbiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D056507:Paenibacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009696:Nucleic Acids