Ryhmänäytteenoton

Ryhmänäytteenotto, also known as group testing or pool testing, is a method of surveying where multiple individual samples are combined into a single group for testing. This approach is particularly useful when the prevalence of the condition or substance being tested for is low. Instead of testing each sample individually, which can be resource-intensive, a group of samples is tested together. If the group test comes back negative, it implies that all individual samples within that group are also negative, saving significant resources. If the group test is positive, it indicates that at least one individual sample in the group is positive, necessitating further individual testing to identify the specific positive samples.

The efficiency of ryhmänäytteenotto stems from its ability to reduce the number of tests performed. The optimal size of the groups depends on factors such as the expected prevalence of the positive cases and the cost-effectiveness of the individual versus group tests. This method has found applications in various fields, including disease screening, such as for infectious diseases like HIV or COVID-19, and in quality control for detecting defects in manufactured goods. The primary benefit is a reduction in the total number of tests conducted, leading to cost savings and faster results, especially in scenarios with a low likelihood of positive outcomes. However, it requires a re-testing phase for positive groups, which adds complexity.