Considerations related to the use of molecular diagnostic tests in veterinary clinical and regulatory practice

Abstract

associated with pathognomonic signs; therefore, diagnostic testing is essential. However, test results and the correct way to interpret those results are directly dependent on various aspects of the quality of the tests themselves. Therefore, particularly for molecular diagnostic tests, understanding what the tests are designed to detect, how certain we are that they are detecting what they are designed to detect, and how to incorporate the results into the overall diagnostic process is vitally important.

A Perspective: Molecular Detections of New Agents in Finfish—Interpreting Biological Significance for Fish Health Management

“…Advances in molecular detection methods for infectious agents have been essential to numerous important contributions to the science of aquatic animal health and will continue as such in the future. However, discoveries that are not accompanied by critical information demonstrating viability within the host and the ability to cause disease are only the first steps in the process of data gathering (Middleton et al 2021). The detection of viral sequences in the tissues of clinically normal fish by itself is insufficient information on which to expend additional effort and resources in making changes to existing surveillance and disease policies of affected resource agencies or other user groups.…”