Project description:In order to establish a rapid detection method for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, this study used the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique to carry out nucleic acid amplification and chromatographic visualization via a lateral flow dipstick (LFD) assay. The M. ovipneumoniae elongation factor TU gene (EF-TU) was detected using a set of specific primers designed for the EF-TU gene, and the EF-TU FIP was detected by biotin labeling, which was used in the LAMP amplification reaction. The digoxin-labeled probe specifically hybridized with LAMP products, which were visually detected by LFD. Here, we established the M. ovipneumoniae LAMP-LFD rapid detection method and tested the specificity, sensitivity, and clinical application of this method. Results showed that the optimized LAMP performed at 60 °C for 60 min, and LFD can specifically and visually detect M. ovipneumoniae with a minimum detectable concentration at 1.0 × 102 CFU/mL. The sensitivity of LAMP-LFD was 1000 times that of the conventional PCR detection methods, and the clinical lung tissue detection rate was 86% of 50 suspected sheep infected with M. ovipneumoniae. In conclusion, LAMP-LFD was established in this study to detect M. ovipneumoniae, a method that was highly specific, sensitive, and easy to operate, and provides a new method for the prevention and diagnosis of M. ovipneumoniae infection.
Project description:Tuberculosis (TB) is a communicable disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and is a persistent problem in the developing countries. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) allows DNA to be amplified rapidly at a constant temperature. Here, a LAMP method was combined with a chromatographic lateral-flow dipstick (LFD) to detect IS6110 gene of M. tuberculosis specifically and rapidly. The reaction was optimized at 63°C for 60?min, and the amplified DNA hybridized to an FITC-labeled oligonucleotide probe for 5?min was detected at the LFD test line 5?min after application. Excluding the step of DNA extraction, the test results could be generated approximately within 1?h. In addition to the advantage of short assay time, this technique could avoid the contact of carcinogenic ethidium bromide due to the exclusion of the electrophoresis analysis step. Furthermore, the data indicated that LAMP-LFD could detect M. tuberculosis genomic DNA as little as 5?pg. The technique showed a significant specificity since no cross-hybridization to M. intracellulare (MIC), M. fortuitum (MFT), M. avium (MAV), M. kansasii (MKS), and M. gordonae (MGD) genomic DNAs was observed. In the clinical unknown samples test, the sensitivity of LAMP-LFD was 98.92 ? % and the specificity was 100 ? % compared to those of the standard culture assay. Based on its sensitivity, specificity, rapidity, low cost, and convenience, LAMP-LFD could be applicable for use in both laboratories and epidemiological surveys of MTB.
Project description:BACKGROUND: Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) is the most devastating bacterial citrus disease worldwide. Three Candidatus Liberibacter species are associated with different forms of the disease: Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, Candidatus Liberibacter americanus and Candidatus Liberibacter africanus. Amongst them, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus is the most widespread and economically important. These Gram-negative bacterial plant pathogens are phloem-limited and vectored by citrus psyllids. The current management strategy of HLB is based on early and accurate detection of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus in both citrus plants and vector insects. Nowadays, real time PCR is the method of choice for this task, mainly because of its sensitivity and reliability. However, this methodology has several drawbacks, namely high equipment costs, the need for highly trained personnel, the time required to conduct the whole process, and the difficulty in carrying out the detection reactions in field conditions. RESULTS: A recent DNA amplification technique known as Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) was adapted for the detection of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. This methodology was combined with a Lateral Flow Dipstick (LFD) device for visual detection of the resulting amplicons, eliminating the need for gel electrophoresis. The assay was highly specific for the targeted bacterium. No cross-reaction was observed with DNA from any of the other phytopathogenic bacteria or fungi assayed. By serially diluting purified DNA from an infected plant, the sensitivity of the assay was found to be 10 picograms. This sensitivity level was proven to be similar to the values obtained running a real time PCR in parallel. This methodology was able to detect Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus from different kinds of samples including infected citrus plants and psyllids. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the methodology here reported constitutes a step forward in the development of new tools for the management, control and eradication of this destructive citrus disease. This system constitutes a potentially field-capable approach for the detection of the most relevant HLB-associated bacteria in plant material and psyllid vectors.
Project description:The spread of African swine fever virus (ASFV) caused huge economic costs, so early detection is particularly important. Here, we established a fluorescence biosensor based on carbon nanodots (CNDs) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to ultra-sensitively detect ASFV. LAMP with high efficiency produced a large amount of pyro phosphoric acid and caused pH change in a short time. CNDs with strong light stability had a large fluorescence response at the emission wavelength of 585.5 nm to small pH change by the excitation wavelength of 550 nm. The biosensor realized "turn-off-on" mode for ASFV detection with the detection limit as low as 15.21 copies μL-1. In addition, the biosensor had high accuracy in the actual sample assay. Therefore, the biosensor achieved rapid, sensitive, low-cost, and simple detection for ASFV. Moreover, the biosensor broadened the detection pathway of LAMP as a tool with great development prospect.
Project description:Senecavirus A (SVA) is a critical pathogen causing vesicular lesions in sows and acute death of newborn piglets, resulting in very large economic losses in the pig industry. To restrict the transmission of SVA, an establishment of an effective diagnostic method is crucial for the prevention and control of the disease. However, traditional detection methods often have many drawbacks. In this study, reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) was combined with a lateral flow dipstick (LFD) to detect SVA. The resulting RT-LAMP-LFD assay was performed at 60°C for 50 min and then directly judged on an LFD visualization strip. This method shows high specificity and sensitivity to SVA. The detection limit of RT-LAMP was 4.56x10-8 ng/μL RNA, approximately 11 copies/μL RNA, and it was 10 times more sensitive than RT-PCR. This detection method's positive rate for clinical samples is comparable to that of RT-PCR. This method is time saving and highly efficient and is thus expected to be used to diagnose SVA infections in this field.
Project description:African swine fever virus (ASFV), the etiological agent of African swine fever (ASF), a hemorrhagic fever of domestic pigs, has devastating consequences for the pig farming industry. More than 1,000,000 pigs have been slaughtered since 3 August 2018 in China. However, vaccines or drugs for ASF have yet to be developed. As such, a rapid test that can accurately detect ASFV on-site is important to the timely implementation of control measures. In this study, we developed a rapid test that combines recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) of the ASFV p72 gene with lateral flow detection (LFD). Results showed that the sensitivity of recombinase polymerase amplification with lateral flow dipstick (RPA-LFD) for ASFV was 150 copies per reaction within 10 min at 38°C. The assay was highly specific to ASFV and had no cross-reactions with other porcine viruses, including classical swine fever virus (CSFV). A total of 145 field samples were examined using our method, and the agreement of the positive rate between RPA-LFD (10/145) and real-time PCR (10/145) was 100%. Overall, RPA-LFD provides a novel alternative for the simple, sensitive, and specific identification of ASFV and showed potential for on-site ASFV detection.
Project description:Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) combined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (LAMP-ELISA) and with lateral flow dipstick (LAMP-LFD) are rapid, sensitive and specific methods for the visual detection of clinical pathogens. In this study, LAMP-ELISA and LAMP-LFD were developed for the visual detection of canine parvovirus (CPV). For LAMP, a set of four primers (biotin-labeled forward inner primers) was designed to specifically amplify a region of the VP2 gene of CPV. The optimum time and temperature for LAMP were 60 min and 65°C, respectively. The specific capture oligonucleotide probes, biotin-labeled CPV probe for LAMP-ELISA and fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled CPV probe for LAMP-LFD were also designed for hybridization with LAMP amplicons on streptavidin-coated wells and LFD strips, respectively. For the comparison of detection sensitivity, conventional PCR and LAMP for CPV detection were also performed. The CPV detection limits by PCR, PCR-ELISA, LAMP, LAMP-ELISA and LAMP-LFD were 10(2), 10(2), 10(-1), 10(-1) and 10(-1) TCID50/ml, respectively. In tests using artificially contaminated dog fecal samples, the samples with CPV inoculation levels of ?1 TCID50/ml gave positive results by both LAMP-ELISA and LAMP-LFD. Our data indicated that both LAMP-ELISA and LAMP-LFD are promising as rapid, sensitive and specific methods for an efficient diagnosis of CPV infection.
Project description:Jembrana disease virus (JDV) is a viral pathogen that causes Jembrana disease in Bali cattle (Bos javanicus) with high mortality rate. An easy and rapid diagnostic method is essential for further control this disease. We used a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) combined with lateral flow dipstick (LFD), based on conserved tm subunit of Jembrana disease virus env gene. The RT-LAMP conditions were optimized by varying the concentration of MgSO4, betaine, dNTP, and temperature as well as the time and duration of reaction. The primers sensitivity for JDV was confirmed. The method was able to detect env-tm gene dilution which contained 2 × 10(-15) g of template. Comparatively, the sensitivity of RT-LAMP/LFD was 100-fold more sensitive than reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The primers specificity for JDV was also confirmed using positive and negative controls. This work also showed that virus detection could be done not only on total RNA extracted from blood but various organs could also be analyzed for the presence of JDV using RT-LAMP/LFD method. The whole process, including the LAMP reaction and the LFD hybridization step only lasts approximately 75 min. Results of analysis can be easily observed with naked eyes without addition of any chemical or further analysis. The combination of RT-LAMP with LFD makes the method a more suitable diagnostic tool in conditions where sophisticated and expensive equipments are not available for field investigations on Jembrana disease in Bali cattle.
Project description:BackgroundDiphtheria outbreaks occurred in endemic areas and imported and indigenous cases are reported in UE/EEA. Because of the high infectiveness and severity of the disease, early and accurate diagnosis of each suspected case is essential for the treatment and management of the case and close contacts. The aim of the study was to establish simple and rapid testing methods based on Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) assay for the detection of Corynebacterium diphtheriae and differentiation between toxigenic and non-toxigenic strains.MethodsCorynebacterium diphtheriae and Corynebacterium ulcerans isolates from the National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene collection were used for the development of LAMP assay for the diagnosis of diphtheria and nontoxigenic C. diphtheriae infections. Various colorimetric methods for visualization of results were investigated. Sensitivity and specificity of the assay were examined using a collection of DNA samples from various gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.ResultsThe LAMP assay for tox and dtxR genes was developed. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay were calculated as 100%. The detection limit was estimated as 1.42 pg/μl concentration of DNA template when the reaction was conducted for 60 min. However, the detection limit was lowered 10 times for every 10 min of reduction in the time of incubation during the reaction. Positive results were successfully detected colorimetrically using hydroxynaphthol blue, calcein, QuantiFluor, and lateral flow Milenia HybriDetect dipsticks.ConclusionThe assay developed in the study might be applied for point-of-care testing of diphtheria and other C. diphtheriae infections as well as for other infections caused by diphtheria-toxin producing Corynebacterium species. It is highly sensitive, specific, inexpensive, easy to use, and suitable for low-resource settings.
Project description:BackgroundClostridium piliforme (causative agent of Tyzzer disease) infects various animals, including primates, and hence a threat to animal and human health worldwide. At present, it is detected using traditional methods, such as path morphology, polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Therefore, it is necessary to develop convenient, efficient visual molecular biological methods for detecting C. piliforme.ObjectivesTo establish a method with good specificity, high sensitivity and simple operation for the detection of C. piliforme.MethodsIn this study, we designed internal and external primers based on the conserved 23S rRNA region of C. piliforme to develop a biotin-labelled diarrhoea-suffered loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) system for detecting of C. piliforme and assessed the specificity, sensitivity and repeatability of the LAMP system.ResultsThe LAMP system did not exhibit cross-reactivity with 24 other common pathogenic species, indicating that it had good specificity. The minimum concentration of sensitivity was 1 × 10-7 ng/μL. Mouse models (Meriones unguiculatus) of Tyzzer disease were established and a LAMP-lateral flow dipstick (LAMP-LFD) was developed for detecting C. piliforme. The detection rate of C. piliforme was 5.08% in clean-grade animals and 9.96% in specific-pathogen-free-grade animals from Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai. In addition, the detection rates of C. piliforme were 10.1%, 8.6% and 20%, in animals from Hangzhou, Wenzhou and Shaoxing, respectively. The detection rate of C. piliforme was higher in experimental animals used in schools than in those used in companies and research institutes.ConclusionsThe LAMP-LFD method established in this study can be used to detect C. piliforme in animals handled in laboratory facilities of universities, pharmaceutical enterprises and research and development institutions.