Interlaboratory ring trial to evaluate CFT proficiency of European laboratories for diagnosis of glanders in equids.

This study reviewed the efficiency and reliability of the Complement Fixation Test (CFT), a commonly used test to detect Burkholderia mallei antibodies in equine sera, in diagnosing glanders in equids by conducting an interlaboratory test across 24 European labs. The results showed that the CFT is reliable and reproducible within labs, but improvements may be achieved in sensitivity and proficiency through standardizing certain elements.

Interlaboratory Proficiency Test

• The researchers carried out a comprehensive proficiency test across 24 European laboratories. These laboratories comprised 22 National Reference Laboratories that regularly conduct tests for glanders, a bacterial infection in equids caused by Burkholderia mallei.
• The goal of this interlaboratory ring trial was to examine the reliability and accuracy of the widely used Complement Fixation Test (CFT). This test is often applied to identify if equine sera samples contain antibodies against Burkholderia mallei, the bacterium causing glanders.

Composition of Testing Samples

• The testing panels that were sent to the participating labs consisted of equine sera samples.
• These samples were gathered with or without Burkholderia mallei antibodies. This meant that the samples could expose how effectively the participating labs could utilize the CFT to either confirm or rule out the presence of these antibodies which indicate glanders infection in equids.

Evaluation and Results

• The study verified that the Complement Fixation Test (CFT) can be considered dependable for detecting Burkholderia mallei antibodies in equine sera.
• The results confirmed the intralaboratory reproducibility of the CFT method, demonstrating that the CFT yielded consistent results within the same lab implying that the test is robust to random errors that can occur within a single laboratory.

Recommendations

• While confirming the reliability of CFT, the study also identified areas where improvements could be made to increase the sensitivity and accuracy of glanders serodiagnosis.
• The researchers suggested standardizing critical reagents used in the test, including antigens, to enhance the testing proficiency.
• They further recommended the development of a standard Burkholderia mallei serum. This would help create a consistent comparison point and could potentially lead to improved diagnosis and better understanding of glanders in equids.