A real-time quantitative PCR based on molecular beacon for detecting Brucella infection

Zhao, Chunqiu; Xu, Wei; Gao, Wanli

doi:10.1590/1678-4162-11133

Cited by 1 publication

(3 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…It was not possible to differentiate between these tests by analyzing the pooled sensitivities and specificities due to the overlapping confidence intervals. The main concern regarding these high performances was the evident case selection bias, as most studies were retrospective series [ 26 – 31 , 33 , 34 , 36 – 40 , 42 – 45 , 48 , 51 , 54 , 56 , 58 , 60 , 62 ]. In addition to intrinsic sources of bias, such as the overestimation of the performance of the tests, other aspects related to operability, cost, and test requirements must be considered when conducting a comparison [ 3 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The high sensitivity of PCR tests was observed in studies that assessed patients during the first weeks of symptoms [ 35 , 46 , 56 ]. However, the duration of symptoms is lacking in many studies [ 35 , 36 , 42 , 51 , 59 ]. Consistent with this observation, several studies imply that the reduced sensitivity in PCR compared to serological tests could be associated with cases where patients received inadequate prior antibiotic treatment [ 30 , 67 , 68 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A validated diagnostic strategy or a widely used point-of-care test is still lacking. Although some validation studies addressing rapid tests have been identified in the literature, a notable risk of bias was found in them, mainly due to the lack of specificity data [ 25 , 36 , 51 ], and the accuracy was, in general, low. Furthermore, the limited availability of commercial rapid tests prevents both its proper validation and its recommendation for large-scale use currently.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diagnosis of human brucellosis: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Freire,

Machado de Assis,

Silva

et al. 2024

PLoS Negl Trop Dis

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Background Brucellosis, a widely spread zoonotic disease, poses significant diagnostic challenges due to its non-specific symptoms and underreporting. Timely and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective patient management and public health control. However, a comprehensive comparative review of available diagnostic tests is lacking. Methodology/Principal findings This systematic review addressed the following question: ‘What is the accuracy of the available tests to confirm human brucellosis?’ Two independent reviewers examined articles published up to January 2023. The review included original studies reporting symptomatic patients with brucellosis suspicion, through any index test, with sensitivity and/or specificity as outcomes. As exclusion criteria were considered: sample size smaller than 10 patients, studies focusing on complicated brucellosis, and those lacking essential information about index or comparator tests. Sensitivity and specificity were assessed, with consideration for the index test, and ‘culture’ and ‘culture and standard tube agglutination test (SAT)’ were used as reference standards. Bias assessment and certainty of evidence were carried out using the QUADAS-2 and GRADE tools, respectively. A total of 38 studies reporting diagnostic test performance for human brucellosis were included. However, the evidence available is limited, and significant variability was observed among studies. Regarding the reference test, culture and/or SAT are deemed more appropriate than culture alone. Rose Bengal, IgG/IgM ELISA, and PCR exhibited equally high performances, indicating superior overall diagnostic accuracy, with very low certainty of the evidence. Conclusions/Significance This systematic review underscores the potential of the Rose Bengal test, IgG/IgM ELISA, and PCR as promising diagnostic tools for brucellosis. However, the successful implementation and recommendations for their use should consider the local context and available resources. The findings highlight the pressing need for standardization, improved reporting, and ongoing advancements in test development to enhance the accuracy and accessibility of brucellosis diagnosis.

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