Early conception factor lateral flow assays for pregnancy in the mare.
Abstract: The ECF lateral flow assay test is marketed to detect non-pregnancy in mares. The objectives of the present study were to determine the accuracy of the ECF test, the accuracy of the electronic reader accompanying the ECF test, and agreement between two human readers and the electronic reader. Serum samples were collected from anestrus, cycling but not inseminated, and inseminated mares, and were evaluated with the ECF test (EDP Biotech Company, Knoxville, TN, USA) at The Ohio State University and at the EDP Biotech Laboratory. Specificity ranged from 0.07 to 0.16, the negative predictive value ranged from 0.15 to 0.33, and accuracy ranged from 0.43 to 0.52. The electronic reader did not add improve the accuracy or predictive values of the test. Based on the electronic reader, 80.0% of the serum samples collected from the anestrus mares were false positives; Readers 1 and 2 had 60.0 and 33.3% false positives, respectively. For samples collected during the estrous cycle, 83.9% were false positives by the electronic reader, whereas Readers 1 and 2 had 43.7 and 26.4% false positives. We concluded that, regardless of whether the test strips were evaluated by a human or electronic reader, this assay was not accurate for determination of the non-pregnant mare.
Publication Date: 2009-01-30 PubMed ID: 19185909DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2008.06.003Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research article examines the accuracy of the Early Conception Factor (ECF) test, used to detect non-pregnancy in horses. The study finds that regardless of whether the test is evaluated manually or electronically, it’s not accurate for determining non-pregnancy in mares.
Objectives of the Study
- The study was aimed at determining the accuracy of the Early Conception Factor (ECF) test, specifically marketed to detect non-pregnancy in mares (female horses).
- The research also evaluated the accuracy of the electronic reader that accompanies the ECF test.
- The study further assessed the level of agreement between two human readers and the electronic reader.
Methodology
- Serum samples were procured from three groups of mares – those in anestrus (not in heat), those in estrous cycle but not inseminated, and those inseminated.
- The samples were analyzed using the ECF test at The Ohio State University and at the EDP Biotech Laboratory.
Findings of the Study
- The specificity of the test, which is the ability to correctly identify non-pregnant mares, was found to range between 0.07 and 0.16.
- The negative predictive value, which represents the probability that mares with a negative test result are indeed not pregnant, ranged from 0.15 to 0.33.
- The accuracy of the test ranged from 0.43 to 0.52.
- The electronic reader did not enhance the accuracy or predictive values of the test.
- Based on the electronic reader, it was found that 80.0% of the serum samples drawn from the anestrus mares yielded false positives. The human readers reported 60.0% and 33.3% false positives respectively.
- With samples taken during the estrous cycle, the electronic reader reported 83.9% false positives, while human readers registered 43.7 and 26.4% false positives.
Conclusions of the Study
- The study concluded that the ECF lateral flow assay was ineffective in accurately determining non-pregnancy in mares, irrespective of whether the test strips were evaluated by a human or electronic reader.
Cite This Article
APA
Marino E, Threlfall WR, Schwarze RA.
(2009).
Early conception factor lateral flow assays for pregnancy in the mare.
Theriogenology, 71(6), 877-883.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2008.06.003 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, 30425 McPeck Road, Richwood, OH 43344, United States. mobprincess41@hotmail.com
MeSH Terms
- Anestrus / blood
- Animals
- Electronics
- False Positive Reactions
- Female
- Glycoproteins / blood
- Horses / blood
- Humans
- Immunoassay / instrumentation
- Immunoassay / methods
- Immunoassay / veterinary
- Insemination, Artificial / veterinary
- Ovulation / blood
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy Tests / instrumentation
- Pregnancy Tests / methods
- Pregnancy Tests / veterinary
- Rectum
- Sensitivity and Specificity
- Ultrasonography / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Wang X, Xue CH, Yang D, Jia ST, Ding YR, Lei L, Gao KY, Jia TT. Modification of a nitrocellulose membrane with nanofibers for sensitivity enhancement in lateral flow test strips. RSC Adv 2021 Aug 2;11(43):26493-26501.
- Tang RH, Liu LN, Zhang SF, Li A, Li Z. Modification of a nitrocellulose membrane with cellulose nanofibers for enhanced sensitivity of lateral flow assays: application to the determination of Staphylococcus aureus. Mikrochim Acta 2019 Nov 22;186(12):831.
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