Inter-laboratory ring trial to evaluate real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction methods used for detection of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus in Chile

Abstract

© 2017 Background Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus (IPNV) is the etiological agent of a highly contagious disease that affects salmonids. In Chile, the second worldwide salmon producer, IPNV causes great economic loss and is one of the most frequently detected pathogens. Due to its high level of persistence and the lack of information about the efficiency of its diagnostic techniques, the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for IPNV in Chile performed the first inter-laboratory ring trial, to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and repeatability of the qRT-PCR detection methods used in the country. Results Results showed 100% in sensitivity and specificity in most of the laboratories. Only three of the twelve participant laboratories presented problems in sensitivity and one in specificity. Problems in specificity (false positives) were most likely caused by cross contamination of the samples, while errors in sensitivity (false negatives) were due to detection problems of the lea