title: An approach to evaluating the reliability of diagnostic tests on pooled groups of infected individuals.
abstract: An experimental design and statistical analysis providing information on the reliability of pooled test procedures is described. It involves estimating the relationship between the probability of a positive pooled test result (dependent variable) and the expected number of infected individuals in a pool (explanatory variable). The intercept is an estimate of the proportion of false positives (1-pooled specificity) and pooled sensitivities can be estimated for indicative prevalences of infected individuals. Simulations for a theoretical infection are used to investigate the advantages and limitations of the approach. The approach is used to evaluate the reliability of a virus isolation and qRT-PCR test procedure detecting Salmonid alphavirus the pathogenic agent necessary for the development of Pancreas Disease in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).
authors.affiliation: Marine Scotland Science, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK. Electronic address: malcolm.hall@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Marine Scotland Science, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Munro
authors.affiliation: Marine Scotland Science, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: Marine Scotland Science, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McIntosh
authors.affiliation: Marine Scotland Science, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: MacNeish
authors.affiliation: Marine Scotland Science, Aberdeen, AB11 9DB, UK.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000524:Alphavirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018354:Alphavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D000818:Animals; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020317:Salmo salar; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Pancreas Disease; Pools; Quantitative real-time polymerase chain-reaction; Salmonid alphavirus; Virus isolation