scholarly journals Diagnosis of tuberculosis in wildlife: a systematic review

2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jobin Thomas ◽  
Ana Balseiro ◽  
Christian Gortázar ◽  
María A. Risalde
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Diagnostic Techniques ◽  
Review Literature ◽  
Meat Industry ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Ongoing Research

AbstractAnimal tuberculosis (TB) is a multi-host disease caused by members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC). Due to its impact on economy, sanitary standards of milk and meat industry, public health and conservation, TB control is an actively ongoing research subject. Several wildlife species are involved in the maintenance and transmission of TB, so that new approaches to wildlife TB diagnosis have gained relevance in recent years. Diagnosis is a paramount step for screening, epidemiological investigation, as well as for ensuring the success of control strategies such as vaccination trials. This is the first review that systematically addresses data available for the diagnosis of TB in wildlife following the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The article also gives an overview of the factors related to host, environment, sampling, and diagnostic techniques which can affect test performance. After three screenings, 124 articles were considered for systematic review. Literature indicates that post-mortem examination and culture are useful methods for disease surveillance, but immunological diagnostic tests based on cellular and humoral immune response detection are gaining importance in wildlife TB diagnosis. Among them, serological tests are especially useful in wildlife because they are relatively inexpensive and easy to perform, facilitate large-scale surveillance and can be used both ante- and post-mortem. Currently available studies assessed test performance mostly in cervids, European badgers, wild suids and wild bovids. Research to improve diagnostic tests for wildlife TB diagnosis is still needed in order to reach accurate, rapid and cost-effective diagnostic techniques adequate to a broad range of target species and consistent over space and time to allow proper disease monitoring.

scholarly journals Point-of-Care Diagnostic Tests for Detecting SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Real-World Data

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Riccò ◽  
Pietro Ferraro ◽  
Giovanni Gualerzi ◽  
Silvia Ranzieri ◽  
Brandon Michael Henry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Real World Data ◽  
Healthcare Facilities

SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for a highly contagious infection, known as COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 was discovered in late December 2019 and, since then, has become a global pandemic. Timely and accurate COVID-19 laboratory testing is an essential step in the management of the COVID-19 outbreak. To date, assays based on the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in respiratory samples are the gold standard for COVID-19 diagnosis. Unfortunately, RT-PCR has several practical limitations. Consequently, alternative diagnostic methods are urgently required, both for alleviating the pressure on laboratories and healthcare facilities and for expanding testing capacity to enable large-scale screening and ensure a timely therapeutic intervention. To date, few studies have been conducted concerning the potential utilization of rapid testing for COVID-19, with some conflicting results. Therefore, the present systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken to explore the feasibility of rapid diagnostic tests in the management of the COVID-19 outbreak. Based on ten studies, we computed a pooled sensitivity of 64.8% (95%CI 54.5–74.0), and specificity of 98.0% (95%CI 95.8–99.0), with high heterogeneity and risk of reporting bias. We can conclude that: (1) rapid diagnostic tests for COVID-19 are necessary, but should be adequately sensitive and specific; (2) few studies have been carried out to date; (3) the studies included are characterized by low numbers and low sample power, and (4) in light of these results, the use of available tests is currently questionable for clinical purposes and cannot substitute other more reliable molecular tests, such as assays based on RT-PCR.

scholarly journals Mass Antibody Detection: Can It be An Avenger for Infectivity War against COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarfaraz Ahmad Ejazi ◽  
Sneha Ghosh ◽  
Nahid Ali
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Antibody Detection ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Molecular Tests ◽  
Immunological Assays ◽  
Commercial Kits ◽  
Vaccination Therapy

The ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 has not only commenced a global health emergency but agitated various aspects of humanity. During this period of crisis researchers over the world have ramped their efforts to constrain the disease in all possible ways whether it is vaccination, therapy, or diagnosis. Since the spread of the disease has not yet elapsed sharing the ongoing research findings could be the key to disease control and management. An early and efficient diagnosis could leverage the outcome until a successful vaccine is developed. Molecular tests both in-house and commercial kits are preferably being used worldwide in the COVID-19 diagnosis. However, the limitation of high prices and lengthy procedures impede their use for mass testing. Keeping the constant rise of infection in mind search for an alternative test that should be cost-effective, simple, and suitable for large scale testing and surveillance is a need of an hour. One such alternative could be the immunological tests. Therefore, in the last few months deluge of immunological rapid tests has been developed and validated across the globe. The objective of the present review is to share the diagnostic performance of various immunological assays reported so far in SARS-CoV-2 case detection. The article consolidated the studies (published and preprints) related to the serological tests such as chemiluminescence, enzyme-linked and lateral flow-based point-of-care tests in COVID-19 diagnosis and updated the current scenario. This review will hopefully be an add-on in COVID-19 research and will contribute to congregate the evidence for decision-making.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Serological Tests: How Well Do They Actually Perform?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdi Ghaffari ◽  
Robyn Meurant ◽  
Ali Ardakani
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Serological Testing ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Initial Discovery

In only a few months after initial discovery in Wuhan, China, SARS-CoV-2 and the associated COVID-19 disease has become a global pandemic causing significant mortality and morbidity. In the absence of vaccines and effective therapeutics, reliable serological testing can be a key element of public health policy to control further spread of the disease and gradually ease quarantine measures. However, prior to launch of large-scale seroprevalence studies to assess herd immunity, it is critical to understand the limits and potential of current SARS-CoV-2 serological tests on the market. In this study, we provide an overview of serological testing and conduct a systematic review of independent evaluations of SARS-CoV-2 serological tests performance. Our findings show significant variability in the accuracy of marketed tests and highlight several lab-based and point-of-care rapid diagnostic tests with high performance level in detecting SRAS-CoV-2 specific antibodies. The findings of this review highlight the need for ongoing independent evaluations of commercialized COVID-19 diagnostic tests.

scholarly journals Serological test performance for bovine tuberculosis in cattle from herds with evidence of on-going infection in Northern Ireland

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. e0245655
Author(s):  
Lyanne McCallan ◽  
Cathy Brooks ◽  
Claire Barry ◽  
Catherine Couzens ◽  
Fiona J. Young ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Bovine Tuberculosis ◽  
Serological Test ◽  
Infected Individual ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Discriminatory Ability ◽  
Serology Test

The ability to accurately identify infected hosts is the cornerstone of effective disease control and eradication programs. In the case of bovine tuberculosis, accurately identifying infected individual animals has been challenging as all available tests exhibit limited discriminatory ability. Here we assess the utility of two serological tests (IDEXX Mycobacterium bovis Ab test and Enfer multiplex antibody assay) and assess their performance relative to skin test (Single Intradermal Comparative Cervical Tuberculin; SICCT), gamma-interferon (IFNγ) and post-mortem results in a Northern Ireland setting. Furthermore, we describe a case-study where one test was used in conjunction with statutory testing. Serological tests using samples taken prior to SICCT disclosed low proportions of animals as test positive (mean 3% positive), despite the cohort having high proportions with positive SICCT test under standard interpretation (121/921; 13%) or IFNγ (365/922; 40%) results. Furthermore, for animals with a post-mortem record (n = 286), there was a high proportion with TB visible lesions (27%) or with laboratory confirmed infection (25%). As a result, apparent sensitivities within this cohort was very low (≤15%), however the tests succeeded in achieving very high specificities (96–100%). During the case-study, 7/670 (1.04%) samples from SICCT negative animals from a large chronically infected herd were serology positive, with a further 17 animals being borderline positive (17/670; 2.54%). Nine of the borderline animals were voluntarily removed, none of which were found to be infected post-mortem (no lesions/bacteriology negative). One serology test negative animal was subsequently found to have lesions at slaughter with M. bovis confirmed in the laboratory.

Gestural Facilitation in Treatment of Apraxia of Speech

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 94-98
Author(s):  
Anastasia M. Raymer ◽  
Beth McHose ◽  
Kimberly Graham
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Review Literature ◽  
Cognitive System ◽  
Apraxia Of Speech ◽  
Recent Systematic Review ◽  
Training Paradigm ◽  
Limb Apraxia ◽  
Speech Treatment ◽  
Verbal Production

Purpose: Luria (1970) proposed the use of intersystemic reorganization to use an intact system to facilitate improvements in a damaged cognitive system. In this article, we review literature examining the effects of gesture as a modality to promote reorganization to improve verbal production in apraxia of speech and anomia. Methods: A gestural facilitation training paradigm is described and results of a recent systematic review of apraxia of speech treatment are reviewed. The interplay between apraxia of speech and anomia are considered in response to gestural facilitation training. Results & Conclusions: Gestural facilitation effects are strongest in individuals with moderate apraxia of speech. Several factors appear to mitigate the effects of gestural facilitation for verbal production, including severe apraxia of speech and semantic anomia. Severe limb apraxia, which often accompanies severe apraxia of speech, appears to be amenable to gestural treatment, providing improvements in gesture use for communication when verbal production gains are not evident.

Therapy of post-stroke depression – a systematic review

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (02) ◽  
pp. 108-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Gaebel ◽  
W. Wannagat ◽  
J. Zielasek
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽  
Placebo Control ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
Pharmacological Studies ◽  
Post Stroke Depression ◽  
Control Procedures ◽  
Antidepressant Pharmacotherapy

SummaryWe performed a systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled pharmacological and non-pharmacological trials for the therapy and prevention of post-stroke depression that have been published between 1980 and 2011. We initially identified 2 260 records of which 28 studies were finally included into this review. A meta-analytic approach was hampered by considerable differences regarding the kinds of therapeutic regimens and the study durations. Modest effects favoring treatment of post-stroke depression could be found for pharmacological treatment as well as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. For the prevention of post-stroke depression, antidepressant pharmacotherapy showed promising results. However, large-scale studies with better standardized study populations, optimized placebo control procedures in non-pharmacological studies, and replication in larger follow-up studies are still necessary to find the optimal therapeutic regimens to prevent and treat post-stroke depression.

Summarizing the evidence of the performance of diagnostic tests for Salmonella spp. in swine: A systematic review approach

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Wilkins ◽  
Andrijana Rajic ◽  
S. Parker ◽  
L. Wadell ◽  
J. Sanchez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Salmonella Spp

Validity of a Serological Diagnostic Kit for SARS-CoV-2 Available in Iran

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. 629-632
Author(s):  
Hamid Reza Shamsollahi ◽  
Mostafa Amini ◽  
Shaban Alizadeh ◽  
Saharnaz Nedjat ◽  
Ali Akbari-Sari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Techniques ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Molecular Technique ◽  
Size Estimation ◽  
Medical Sciences ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Standard Case ◽  
Epidemic Size ◽  
Low Sensitivity ◽  
Negative Controls

Background: The Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic broke out in December 2019 and is now characterized as a pandemic. Effective control of this infectious disease requires access to diagnostic techniques, for both case finding and epidemic size estimation. The molecular technique is routinely used worldwide. Although it is the "standard" case detection and management method, it has its own shortcomings. Thus, some easy-to-use rapid serological tests have been developed. Methods: One hundred and fourteen positive RT-PCR-diagnosed patients were tested by VivaDiag Kit, a brand of rapid serological kits available in hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran. Frozen serum specimens taken from healthy people in summer and fall 2019 were also tested as negative controls. Results: Test sensitivity was 47.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 38.8-56.9) for IgM and 47.0% (95% CI: 38.0–56.0) for IgG. There was no difference between IgG and IgM seropositivity except in one case. Specificity was calculated as 99.0% (95% CI: 96.4–99.9) for IgM and of 100.0% (95% CI: 0.98.2–100.0) for IgG. Sensitivity was higher in men and older participants. Conclusion: This test can be used for epidemiological investigations, especially for the estimation of the level of infection in the community, after it is properly corrected for sensitivity and specificity. The low sensitivity could be attributed to the technical limitations of the kit or low levels of antibodies after infection. The different sensitivity in age and sex groups supports the hypothesis that different people show different immune responses to this virus.

scholarly journals Analytical Validation and Clinical Application of Rapid Serological Tests for SARS-CoV-2 Suitable for Large-Scale Screening

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 869
Author(s):  
Amedeo De Nicolò ◽  
Valeria Avataneo ◽  
Jessica Cusato ◽  
Alice Palermiti ◽  
Jacopo Mula ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Diagnosis ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Analytical Validation ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Serological Tests ◽  
Flow Test ◽  
Lateral Flow Test ◽  
Large Scale Screening

Recently, large-scale screening for COVID-19 has presented a major challenge, limiting timely countermeasures. Therefore, the application of suitable rapid serological tests could provide useful information, however, little evidence regarding their robustness is currently available. In this work, we evaluated and compared the analytical performance of a rapid lateral-flow test (LFA) and a fast semiquantitative fluorescent immunoassay (FIA) for anti-nucleocapsid (anti-NC) antibodies, with the reverse transcriptase real-time PCR assay as the reference. In 222 patients, LFA showed poor sensitivity (55.9%) within two weeks from PCR, while later testing was more reliable (sensitivity of 85.7% and specificity of 93.1%). Moreover, in a subset of 100 patients, FIA showed high sensitivity (89.1%) and specificity (94.1%) after two weeks from PCR. The coupled application for the screening of 183 patients showed satisfactory concordance (K = 0.858). In conclusion, rapid serological tests were largely not useful for early diagnosis, but they showed good performance in later stages of infection. These could be useful for back-tracing and/or to identify potentially immune subjects.

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