Updating a 2-class attributes sampling plan to account for changes in laboratory methods.

ABSTRACT

Advances in microbiological testing methods have led to faster and less expensive assays. Given these advances, it is logical to employ these assays for use in the sampling plan of an existing microbiological criterion. A change in the performance characteristics of the assay can affect the intended effect of the microbiological criterion. This study describes a method for updating a 2-class attributes sampling plan to account for the different test sensitivity and specificity of a new assay and provides an example based on the replacement of a culture-based assay with a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay.