Diagnostic accuracy of the Enferplex Bovine Tuberculosis antibody test in cattle sera

Abstract

Abstract Bovine tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial disease of worldwide economic, zoonotic and welfare importance caused mainly by Mycobacterium bovis infection. Current regulatory diagnostic methods lack sensitivity and require improvement. We have developed a multiplex serological test for bovine tuberculosis and here we provide an estimate of the diagnostic accuracy of the test in cattle. Positive and negative reference serum samples were obtained from animals from Europe and the United States of America. The diagnostic specificity estimate was 98.4% and 99.7% using high sensitivity and high specificity settings of the test respectively. Tuberculin boosting did not affect the overall specificity estimate. The diagnostic sensitivity in samples from Mycobacterium bovis culture positive animals following tuberculin boosting was 93.9%.The relative sensitivity following boosting in tuberculin test positive, lesion positive animals and interferon gamma test positive, lesion positive animals was 97.2% and 96.9% respectively. In tuberculin test negative, lesion positive animals and in interferon gamma test negative, lesion positive animals, the relative sensitivity following tuberculin boosting was 88.2% and 83.6% respectively. The results show that the test has high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity and can detect infected animals that are missed by tuberculin and interferon gamma testing.