Evaluation of Diagnostic Tests (1)

Abstract

Interpretation of diagnostic test results requires epidemiological thinking. Diagnostic parameters such as diagnostic sensitivity and specificity can be influenced by various population-level factors such as the prevalence of the target disease, vaccination histories, and farm management practices as well as individual-level factors such as age and clinical signs. As the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) specifies in its process for diagnostic validation, the fitness of purpose for specific diagnostic tests should be always evaluated in light of the epidemiology and characteristics of diseases in a given context. This series of contributions aims to cover basic terminologies for diagnostic test and principles of diagnostic test evaluation methods.