Validation of the Magnetic Stirrer Method for the Detection of Trichinella Larvae in Muscle Samples Based on Proficiency Tests Results

Abstract

Trichinellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the nematodes of the genus Trichinella. Infection takes place through the consumption of infected meat containing live larvae. The only way to prevent the disease is to break its epizootic chain. To ensure effective control of Trichinella spp., a range of preventive and control measures have been undertaken. These efforts have been focused on controlling Trichinella in domestic pigs, the main source of the disease. Artificial digestion is also the reference point for other methods for Trichinella risk control. Descriptive data validation of the digestion assay was presented in 1998 based on results published by scientific laboratories. Herein, we supplement those data by characterizing the method’s performance in inter-laboratory comparisons. The source of data was the results of Proficiency Testing conducted in 2015–2019. Samples were contaminated by 0, 1, 3, and 5 larvae. In total, 7580 samples were examined by the laboratories. Based on Proficiency Testing results, the main parameters characterizing the method performance in field conditions were established as follows: specificity, 97.3%; sensitivity, 86.5%; accuracy, 89.2%; uncertainty, 0.3; limit of detection (LOD), 1 larva; and limit of quantification (LOQ), 3 larvae.