Accuracy of an AI-based automated plate reading mobile application for the identification of clinical mastitis-causing pathogens in chromogenic culture media

• Published in: Scientific reports 2024-01, Vol.14 (1), p.1208-1208, Article 1208
• Main Authors: Garcia, Breno Luis Nery, Martins, Cristian Marlon de Magalhães Rodrigues, Porto, Lucas Faria, Nobrega, Diego Borin, dos Santos, Marcos Veiga
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/114; 631/114/1305; 631/114/1564; 631/326/22; 631/326/41; Accuracy; Animals; Automation; Bayes Theorem; Bayesian analysis; Brazil; Cattle; Clinical trials; Colonies; Culture Media; Dairy farms; Decision making; Farms; Female; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; License plates; Mastitis; Mathematical models; Microbiological culture; Microorganisms; Milk - microbiology; Mobile Applications; Mobile communications networks; multidisciplinary; Pathogens; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50296-w

Using on-farm microbiological culture (OFC), based on chromogenic culture media, enables the identification of mastitis causing pathogens in about 24 h, allows rapid decision making on selective treatment and control management measures of cows with clinical mastitis (CM). However, accurate interpretation of OFC results requires trained and experienced operators, which could be a limitation for the use of OFC in dairy farms. Our hypothesis was that AI-based automated plate reading mobile application can analyze images of microorganisms’ colonies in chromogenic culture media with similar diagnostic performance as a trained specialist evaluator. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of an AI-based application (Rumi; OnFarm, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil) for interpreting images of mastitis causing microorganism colonies grown in chromogenic culture media. For this study two trials were organized to compare the results obtained using an AI-based application Rumi with the interpretation of: (1) a trained specialist, using MALDI-TOF MS as the gold standard; (2) farm personnel users (FPU). In trial 1, a total of 476 CM milk samples, from 11 farms located in São Paulo (n = 7) and Minas Gerais (n = 4), southeast Brazil, were inoculated in chromogenic culture media plates (Smartcolor 2, OnFarm, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil) by specialists under lab conditions, and digital images were recorded 24 h after incubation at 37 °C. After that, all the 476 digital images were analyzed by the Rumi and by another specialist (who only had access to the digital images) and the diagnostic accuracy indicators sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) were calculated using MALDI-TOF MS microbiological identification of the isolates as the reference. In Trial 2, a total of 208 CM milk samples, from 150 farms from Brazil, were inoculated in chromogenic culture media plates by FPU, and the results of microbiological growth were visually interpreted by FPU under on-farm conditions. After visual interpretation, results were recorded using an OnFarmApp application (herd manage application for mastitis by OnFarm, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil), and the images of the chromogenic culture plates were captured by the OnFarmApp to be evaluated by Rumi and Bayesian Latent Class Models were performed to compare Rumi and the FPU. In Trial 1, Rumi presented high and intermediate accuracy results, with the only exception of the low Enterococcus spp.’s Se. In