title: EU-approved rapid tests might underestimate bovine spongiform encephalopathy infection in goats.
abstract: We report the diagnostic sensitivity of 3 EU-approved rapid tests (ELISAs; 1 from IDEXX and 2 from Bio-Rad) for the detection of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy diseases in goats. Ninety-eight goat brainstem samples were tested. All the rapid tests had 100% specificity and ≥80% sensitivity, with the IDEXX test significantly more sensitive than the 2 Bio-Rad tests. All tests detected 100% of samples from goats with clinical scrapie, but missed 8% (IDEXX) to 33% (Bio-Rad SG) of samples from preclinical goats. Importantly, only IDEXX picked up all samples from clinical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)-infected goats, whereas the other 2 rapid tests missed 15% (Bio-Rad SG) to 25% (Bio-Rad SAP). These results show that a fraction of preclinical scrapie infections are likely missed by EU surveillance, with sensitivity of detection strongly dependent on the choice of the rapid test. Moreover, a significant proportion of clinical BSE infections are underestimated by using either Bio-Rad test. Assuming that the same sensitivity on preclinical goats would also occur in BSE-infected goats, our data suggest that IDEXX is likely the most sensitive test for detecting preclinical field cases of BSE infection in goats, although with an 8% failure rate. These results raise some concerns about the reliability of current EU surveillance figures on BSE infection in goats.
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meloni
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bozzetta
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Jan P M
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Langeveld
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Martin H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Groschup
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Wilfred
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Goldmann
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Andrèoletti
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lantier
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Lucien
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Keulen
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bossers
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pitardi
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Romolo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nonno
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sklaviadis
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ingravalle
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peletto
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Colussi
authors.affiliation: CEA, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per lo Studio e le Ricerche sulle Encefalopatie Animali e Neuropatologie Comparate, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy (Meloni, Bozzetta, Pitardi, Ingravalle, Peletto, Colussi, Acutis).|Central Veterinary Institute part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, the Netherlands (Langeveld, Van Keulen, Bossers).|Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems, Germany (Groschup).|Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom (Goldmann).|UMR INRA ENVT 1225 Interactions Hotes Agents Pathògenes, ENVT, Toulouse, France (Andrèoletti).|ISP, INRA, Université Tours, Nouzilly, France (Lantier).|Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Rome, Italy (Nonno).|Aristotle University, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Health Sciences Thessaloniki, Greece (Sklaviadis).
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Acutis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D016643:Encephalopathy, Bovine Spongiform / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006041:Goats; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000662:veterinary; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
keywords: Bovine spongiform encephalopathy; EU; diagnosis; goats; rapid tests; scrapie; sensitivity; surveillance