Field evaluation of sensitivity and specificity of a polymerase chain reaction (Pcr) for detection of nucleospora salmonis in rainbow trout

We determined the sensitivity and specificity of a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of the microsporidian parasite Nucleospora salmonis in kidney tissue of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Kidney tissues were sampled on three dates from 162 juvenile rainbow trout obtained from a California State fish hatchery where the organism was endemic. Kidney tissues were used to prepare imprints stained with May–Gru¨nwald Giemsa and for extraction of genomic DNA for a nested PCR test for N. salmonis. Positive PCR results for N. salmonis were obtained from 1 of 100, 2 of 32, and 27 of 30 kidneys collected on the first, second, and third sample dates, respectively. Kidney tissues from 3 of 27 trout in the third sample that tested positively by PCR also had microscopic evidence of parasites in stained kidney imprints. No parasites were detected in the remaining 159 kidney samples examined microscopically. Sensitivity and specificity of the PCR assay were estimated by using maximum likelihood estimation based on cross-classified test results. This method yielded estimates of sensitivity of 99.99% and specificity of 99.87%. This field evaluation supports experimental evidence that the nested PCR test will be a valuable diagnostic tool for prevention and control of N. salmonis as well as for risk assessment associated with fish movements.