Bayesian accuracy estimates for diagnostic tests to detect tuberculosis in captive sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) and Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in Cambodia and Vietnam.

ABSTRACT: Effective control of tuberculosis (TB) depends on early diagnosis of disease, yet available tests are unable to perfectly detect infected individuals. In novel hosts diagnostic testing methods for TB are extrapolated from other species, with unknown accuracy. The primary challenge to evaluating the accuracy of TB tests is the lack of a perfect reference test. Here we use a Bayesian latent class analysis approach to evaluate five tests available for ante-mortem detection of pulmonary TB in captive sun bears and Asiatic black bears in Southeast Asia. Using retrospective results from screening of 344 bears at three rescue centres, we estimate accuracy parameters for thoracic radiography, a serological assay (DPP VetTB), and three microbiological tests (microscopy, PCR (Xpert MTB/RIF, Xpert MT

SUBMITTER: Officer K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11560021 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature