CLINICAL LABORATORY DIAGNOSTICS IN VETERI NARY SWINE PRACTICE

Necessity and facilities of clinical laboratory diagnostics in veterin ary swine practice are discussed. The selection of suitable tests with regard to diagnostic relevance and reliability is pointed out. Typica l test features (sensitivity and specifity) as well as disease depende nt parameters (prevalence, positive or negative predictive value) are presented and illustrated by means of urinary tract infections in sows . It is concluded that a specific selection of tests and probands clos ely related to diagnosis is more successful than the use of unspecific multi-analysing procedures (profile tests).