scholarly journals Low sensitivity of ParaHIT-f rapid malaria test among patients with fever in rural health centers, Northern Tanzania

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (03) ◽  
pp. 204-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eliningaya John Kweka ◽  
Asanterabi Lowassa ◽  
Shandala Msangi ◽  
Epiphania E Kimaro ◽  
Ester E Lyatuu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Test ◽  
Health Centers ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Rural Tanzania ◽  
Northern Tanzania ◽  
Low Sensitivity ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity ◽  
Malaria Test

Introduction: Several rapid diagnostic tools for malaria are currently available in local markets. However, diagnostic accuracy varies widely. The present study was conducted to evaluate a cheaply and easily available rapid diagnostic malaria test (ParaHIT-f) in rural Tanzania. Methodology: Participants presenting with fever at health centers in the Kilimanjaro and Manyara regions were eligible. Parasitological thin and thick smears were examined from finger-prick blood samples and compared to ParaHIT-f test results. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were calculated using microscopic parasitological examination as the gold standard. Results: In total, 236/743 (31.8%) individuals had a positive malaria microscopy, and 25/715 (3.4%) were positive in the rapid diagnostic test. The sensitivity of ParaHIT-f was 10.7% (95% CI, 6.7-14.7) and specificity was 100% (95% CI, 97.4-102), with positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) of 100% (95% CI, 99.1-100.2) and 70.9% (95% CI, 66.9-74.9) respectively. Sensitivity of ParaHIT-f increased with increasing P. falciparum density (P > 0.003) from 5.8% (95% CI, 0-12.9) at < 100 parasites/μl to 20.5% (95% CI, 13.5-27) at ≥ 100 parasites/μl. Conclusions: Sensitivity of the ParaHIT-f rapid test was very low in this setting, therefore concomitant use of rapid diagnostic tests and microscopy is recommended. In the case of positive test results, confirmation by parasitological techniques is not necessary. Further monitoring of ParaHIT-f in various epidemiological settings in Tanzania is warranted. 

Validity of hearTest Smartphone-Based Audiometry for Hearing Screening in Workers Exposed to Noise

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luma Cordeiro Rodrigues ◽  
Silvia Ferrite ◽  
Ana Paula Corona
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
High Specificity ◽  
Hearing Screening ◽  
Youden Index ◽  
Hearing Level ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Auditory Thresholds ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Low Sensitivity ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

Abstract Purpose This article investigates the validity of a smartphone-based audiometry for hearing screening to identify hearing loss in workers exposed to noise. Research Design This is a validation study comparing hearing screening with the hearTest to conventional audiometry. The study population included all workers who attended the Brazilian Social Service of Industry to undergo periodic examinations. Sensitivity, specificity, the Youden index, and positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) for hearing screening obtained by the hearTest were estimated according to three definitions of hearing loss: any threshold greater than 25 dB hearing level (HL), the mean auditory thresholds for 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz greater than 25 dB HL, and the mean thresholds for 3, 4, and 6 kHz greater than 25 dB HL. Note that 95% confidence intervals were calculated for all measurements. Results A total of 232 workers participated in the study. Hearing screening with the hearTest presented good sensitivity (93.8%), specificity (83.9%), and Youden index (77.7%) values, a NPV (97.2%), and a low PPV (69.0%) for the identification of hearing loss defined as any auditory threshold greater than 25 dB HL. For the other definitions of hearing loss, we observed high specificity, PPV and NPV, as well as low sensitivity and Youden index. Conclusion The hearTest is an accurate hearing screening tool to identify hearing loss in workers exposed to noise, including those with noise-induced hearing loss, although it does not replace conventional audiometry.

scholarly journals Investigation of the rapid immunochromatographic test performance in the diagnosis of syphilis; comparison of four serological methods

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huseyin Agah Terzi ◽  
Ozlem Aydemir ◽  
Engin Karakece ◽  
Huseyin Hatipoglu ◽  
Mehmet Olmez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Test Performance ◽  
Gold Standard ◽  
Treponema Pallidum ◽  
Rapid Test ◽  
Immunochromatographic Test ◽  
Rapid Plasma Reagin ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Hemagglutination Assay ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

AbstractObjectivesTo test the performance of the newly available rapid test for syphilis, we compared it with Treponema pallidum hemagglutination assay (TPHA). Additionally, we investigated the performance of rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and chemiluminescence microparticle immunoassays (CMIA) at our laboratory using TPHA as a gold standard.MethodsThe serum samples of 595 patients with the pre-diagnosis of syphilis were studied by four serological methods. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of RPR, CMIA, and syphilis rapid test were assessed by utilizing TPHA as a gold standard for the diagnosis of syphilis.ResultsOf the patients, 6.2% (37/595) had positive RPR, 5.5% (33/595) had positive CMIA, 5.5% (33/595) had a positive rapid immunochromatographic method and 5% (30/595) had positive TPHA. When TPHA results were taken as the reference, the sensitivity of the rapid test for syphilis was 100%, the specificity was 99.5%, PPV was 90.9%, and NPV was 100.0%.ConclusionsIt was observed that the rapid test for syphilis used in the study was quite successful, its cost was appropriate, and the test was very fast and easy to apply. At the same time, the agreement between syphilis rapid test and TPHA was found to be excellent.

scholarly journals Evaluation of a Rapid Diagnostic Test Currently Being Used in the Management of Malaria in Patients of the Hia/Chu-Parakou and the Boko Zone Hospital in Northern Benin

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tokponnon F ◽  
◽  
Osse R ◽  
Houessou C ◽  
Akogbeto M ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Test ◽  
Rapid Diagnostic Test ◽  
Probabilistic Method ◽  
Health Centers ◽  
Patient Identification ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Parasitological Diagnosis ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity ◽  
Adequate Management

Parasitological diagnosis is a fundamental element in the adequate management of the disease. In the last decade, there has been a resurgence of interest in the development of malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) kits. This is the case with SD Bioline Malaria Ag Pf, which searches for HRP2 antigen by immunochromatography. The objective of this study is to compare the results of RDT SD Bioline Malaria Ag Pf in use with the results of Thick Gout (TG) in the biological diagnosis of malaria. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and evaluative study carried out at the Hôpital d’Instruction des Armées-Center Hospitalier et Universitaire de Parakou and at the Boko zone hospital from April 20 to July 30, 2015. Patient identification, we used the non-probabilistic method and the convenience choice technique. The study involved 503 patients. The results of this study showed a good performance of the RDT SD Bioline Malaria Ag Pf. Among the 503 patients, 199 or 39.6% were positive for the RDT against 180 or 35.8% positive for the Thick Gout (TG). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of the test compared to the thick film were respectively (91.7%, 89.5%, 82.9, 95) and the Kappa coefficient of 0.88 testifies a good match. False positive cases are noted in patients on treatment and even after recovery due to the persistence of the HRP2 antigen in the blood. However, it constitutes an interesting alternative to the management of malaria. At the end of this study, we suggest continuing the use of RDTs in health centers where microscopy is absent and/or reinforcing microscopy, and to strengthen staff training in the management of malaria cases.

scholarly journals Accuracy of ICD-9 coding for Clostridium difficile infections: a retrospective cohort

2006 ◽  
Vol 135 (6) ◽  
pp. 1010-1013 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. B. SCHEURER ◽  
L. S. HICKS ◽  
E. F. COOK ◽  
J. L. SCHNIPPER
Keyword(s):  
Clostridium Difficile ◽  
Administrative Data ◽  
Epidemiological Surveillance ◽  
Administrative Database ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Micro Data ◽  
Cytotoxic Assay ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity ◽  
Microbiological Data

SUMMARYClostridium difficile (C. diff) is a major nosocomial problem. Epidemiological surveillance of the disease can be accomplished by microbiological or administrative data. Microbiological tracking is problematic since it does not always translate into clinical disease, and it is not always available. Tracking by administrative data is attractive, but ICD-9 code accuracy for C. diff is unknown. By using a large administrative database of hospitalized patients with C. diff (by ICD-9 code or cytotoxic assay), this study found that the sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values of ICD-9 coding were 71%, 99%, 87%, and 96% respectively (using micro data as the gold standard). When only using symptomatic patients the sensitivity increased to 82% and when only using symptomatic patients whose test results were available at discharge, the sensitivity increased to 88%. C. diff ICD-9 codes closely approximate true C. diff infection, especially in symptomatic patients whose test results are available at the time of discharge, and can therefore be used as a reasonable alternative to microbiological data for tracking purposes.

scholarly journals Poor Performance of the Chlamydia Rapid Test Device for the Detection of Asymptomatic Infections in South African Men: A Pilot Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. S. Abbai-Shaik ◽  
T. Reddy ◽  
S. Govender ◽  
G. Ramjee
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Rapid Test ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Current Approach ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Asymptomatic Infections ◽  
Low Sensitivity ◽  
Asymptomatic Men

Background. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no published reports on the diagnostic performance of the Chlamydia Rapid Test (CRT) Device for male urine samples. We evaluated the performance of the CRT Device when compared with that of the BD ProbeTec ET PCR Assay in a population of asymptomatic men. Methods. The study enrolled 100 men between June and July 2015. From each consenting male, 20–30 mL of urine was collected. Sensitivity and specificity of the rapid test compared to PCR were calculated. All analysis was performed in STATA version 13. Results. All men had valid rapid and PCR test results. The test showed a low sensitivity against PCR (20%) (95% CI 3.7–6.2%); however, an excellent specificity was observed (100%) (one sided 97.5% CI: 96.0–100). Conclusions. This test was not found to be suitable as a screening tool for genital Chlamydia infections in men. Our findings emphasize the need for more sensitive POC tests to be developed since the current approach for the management of STIs in Africa is confounded by poor sensitivity and specificity resulting in many infected individuals not being treated.

Diagnostic Potential of Host Response Mediators

1993 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Offenbacher ◽  
J.G. Collins ◽  
P.A. Heasman
Keyword(s):  
Disease Activity ◽  
Host Response ◽  
Gingival Crevicular Fluid ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Diagnostic Measures ◽  
Diagnostic Potential ◽  
Crevicular Fluid ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity ◽  
Considerable Body

This review summarizes the data which relate the validation and application of host response markers as diagnostic tests forperiodontal diseases. Practical considerations regarding the general application and evaluation of a diagnostic test for periodontal disease are presented. Experiments which have documented the performance of host response markers as diagnostic measures of disease activity in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values are summarized. Particular emphasis is placed on the diagnostic potential of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) components. The considerable body of evidence supporting the potential application of GCF-PGE2 levels for predicting episodes of disease progression and reflecting disease activity is summarized and placed into perspective for the development of future diagnostic tools.

scholarly journals Laboratory-based Evaluation of Wondfo HIV1/2 Rapid Test Kits in the Gambia, December 2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mendy A ◽  
◽  
Sanneh ML ◽  
Jarju ML ◽  
Ceesay FB ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Whole Blood ◽  
Rapid Test ◽  
The Gambia ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
Hiv Screening ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
First Response ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity ◽  
Hiv 1

Background: HIV rapid diagnosis in The Gambia is mainly done using Determine HIV-1/2 and First Response HIV 1.2.0 or SD Bioline HIV-1/2 3.0 for screening and sero-typing of HIV respectively among children and adults. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is used for the detection of the HIV viral genome among infants born to HIV positive mothers. This is the HIV testing Algorithm recommended in the HIV testing guidelines of The Gambia for both HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT), Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) as well as other clinical requests for HIV testing. At the National Public Health Reference Laboratories (NPHRL), ELISA is the first line of testing for HIV while First Response HIV 1.2.0 or SD Bioline HIV 1/2 3.0 is used for preliminary serotyping. MP Diagnostics HIV Blot 2.2 Western Assay, which is the gold standard for HIV testing in The Gambia, is used as the tie breaker (i.e., when there are discordant results). The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the Wondfo HIV 1/2 rapid test kit for the detection of human antibodies to HIV in serum/plasma/whole blood and dried blood spots. Methods: The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of Wondfo HIV 1/2 kits were evaluated in terms of HIV screening against Determine HIV1/2, GenScreen Ultra HIV Ag-Ab ELISA and First Response HIV 1.2.0 using a total of 401 samples. Of these, 351 were sera/plasma samples {100 HIV negative, 250 HIV positive and 1 indeterminate that were stored at -20°C, 26 were whole blood samples (4 negative, 22 positive), and 24 were dried blood spot (DBS) specimens (16 negative and 8 positive) were used for this evaluation. HIV positive specimens were previously sero-typed using First Response HIV-1.2.0 test cards and MP Diagnostics HIV Blot 2.2 Western Assay. Results: The evaluation shows that the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of Wondfo HIV 1/2 Test Kits with regards to HIV Screening when compared with the GenScreen Ultra HIV Ag-Ab ELISA and First Response 1.2.O (n=401) were 100%, 100%, 100%, and 100% respectively. Similarly, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of Wondfo HIV 1/2 Test Kits with regards to HIV Screening compared to Determine HIV1/2 (n=401) were 99.64%, 100%, 100%, and 99.17% respectively. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that Wondfo HIV 1/2 test kits have a high sensitivity and specificity when used for the detection of HIV antibodies using human serum/plasma, whole blood or DBS.

scholarly journals Dog Savior: Immediate Scent-Detection of SARS-COV-2 by Trained Dogs

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar Vesga ◽  
Andres F. Valencia ◽  
Alejandro Mira ◽  
Felipe Ossa ◽  
Esteban Ocampo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infected Individual ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
The Body ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Diagnostic Tools ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Infected People ◽  
Molecular Tests ◽  
Production And Distribution ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

AbstractMolecular tests for viral diagnostics are essential to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, but their production and distribution cannot satisfy the current high demand. Early identification of infected people and their contacts is the key to being able to isolate them and prevent the dissemination of the pathogen; unfortunately, most countries are unable to do this due to the lack of diagnostic tools. Dogs can identify, with a high rate of precision, unique odors of volatile organic compounds generated during an infection; as a result, dogs can diagnose infectious agents by smelling specimens and, sometimes, the body of an infected individual. We trained six dogs of three different breeds to detect SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory secretions of infected patients and evaluated their performance experimentally, comparing it against the gold standard (rRT-PCR). Here we show that viral detection takes one second per specimen. After scent-interrogating 9,200 samples, our six dogs achieved independently and as a group very high sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, accuracy, and likelihood ratio, with very narrow confidence intervals. The highest metric was the negative predictive value, indicating that with a disease prevalence of 7.6%, 99.9% of the specimens indicated as negative by the dogs did not carry the virus. These findings demonstrate that dogs could be useful to track viral infection in humans, allowing COVID-19 free people to return to work safely.

scholarly journals Reliability of Geneological Cemetery Records in Ascertaining Vital Status in an Historical Cohort Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stella Gwini ◽  
Ewan MacFarlane ◽  
Geza Benke ◽  
Malcolm Sim
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
18Th Century ◽  
Historical Cohort ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Vital Status ◽  
The Past ◽  
Potential Source ◽  
Death Registry ◽  
Low Sensitivity ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

ABSTRACTBackground Ascertainment of vital status is a particular challenge in studies of historical cohorts, particularly when the time last known to be alive precedes available and linkable death databases. In Australia, vital status is typically ascertained by linkage to the National Death Index (NDI) which contains detailed information on all deaths occurring after 1 January 1980. While the Australian National Death registry has electronic records dating back to the 18th century searching for deaths prior to this date can only be undertaken on an individual basis by requesting specific death certificates from state/territory registrars of births, deaths and marriages, which is unfeasible for a whole cohort. In the past decade, a number of publically accessible online genealogical databases containing either details of burials/cremations or tombstone inscriptions have become available. While genealogical cemetery records are a potential source of mortality ascertainment, their reliability for this purpose is unknown. We used the Australian NDI, as a gold standard, to assess the reliability of electronic cemetery records in ascertaining vital status in a cohort study. MethodsIn a historical cohort of former workers employed at a Tasmanian cement factory from 1936, Tasmanian electronic cemetery and tombstone inscription databases were checked for ‘fact of death’ for workers last known to be alive after 01 January 1980 (N=867, 31% of the cohort). The same cohort was also linked to the NDI. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) of cemetery records were calculated. ResultsThe NDI identified 78 deaths (9%) while we identified 50 deaths (6%) through cemetery record checks. The sensitivity of cemetery matching was low (53.8%; 95% CI 42.2-65.2) while specificity was 99.0% (95% CI 98.0-99.6). Positive and negative predictive values were also good, 84.0% (95% CI 70.9-92.8) and 95.6% (95% CI 94.0-96.9), respectively. ConclusionsThe results show that deaths identified from electronic cemetery records can be reliable (i.e. high PPV), even though this method correctly identified about half of deaths (i.e. low sensitivity). This methodology can be useful when sources of vital status ascertainment are limited.

Haematological Parameters in Early Diagnosis of Clinically Suspected Neonatal Septicemia

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-71
Keyword(s):  
Early Diagnosis ◽  
Late Onset ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Haematological Parameters ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Neonatal Septicemia ◽  
Mature Neutrophil ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Low Sensitivity ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

Neonatal septicemia is a life-threatening yet treatable condition. It is one of the major health problems throughout the world. Blood culture is the gold standard for diagnosis of neonatal septicemia and should be performed in all cases of suspected septicemia prior to starting antibiotics. But in the present study, the use of the haematological parameters was evaluated to determine the early diagnosis of neonatal septicemia. It was carried out in the neonatal unit of Mandalay Children’s Hospital from September 2012 to August 2013. Out of 68 cases of clinically suspected neonatal septicemia, bacterial pathogens were isolated from 33 cases. Early onset neonatal septicemia was more common than late onset. Among 33 cases of culture-proven neonatal septicemia, septicemia is not likely in 1 case (3%) while borderline for septicemia and septicemia in 6 cases (18.2%) is very likely in 26 cases (78.8%) according to haematological scoring system (HSS). HSS assigns a score of one for each of seven haematological parameters. Out of the seven haematological parameters, immature to total neutrophil ratio (I:T) and immature to mature neutrophil ratio (I:M) were the most reliable test for the neonatal septicemia. Thrombocytopenia had low sensitivity. The haematolgical parameters are simple, quick, cost effective and readily available. The sensitivity, specificity and the predictive values of haematological parameters could be enhanced by combination of these parameters rather than the use of single parameter.

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