Confidence interval procedures for the probability of disease transmission in Multiple-Vector-Transfer designs

Abstract

In plant pathology, group testing has been widely used in vector-transfer designs to study factors affecting the spread of disease by insect vectors. In such contexts, vectors are tested in groups rather than individually. However, the goal is still to estimate p, the probability of disease transmissi on by a single vector. The purpose of this article is to provide a thorough comparison of new and established interval estimators for p in terms of coverage probability and mean length. We ill ustrate our methods using data from an Argentinean study in volving the Mal Rio Cuarto virus and its transmission by the Delphacodes kuscheli planthopper.