Closed tube loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for rapid detection of hepatitis B virus in human blood

Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) for the Diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Review

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain a significant public health concern. Given the asymptomatic nature of many STIs, diagnostic testing is critical for determining the appropriate treatment, enabling effective tracing and reducing the risk of further transmission. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are the most sensitive and the most widely used in well-resourced settings. The majority of available NAATs are based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which requires highly trained personnel and costly equipment, making it impractical for resource-limited settings. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has emerged as a simple, rapid, sensitive and low-cost alternative for pathogen detection, particularly well-suited for point-of-care tests (POCT). In this review, we evaluate LAMP assays reported in the literature for the detection of pathogens linked to the high incidence STIs prioritised by the World Health Organization (WHO) for POCT in 2023. These include Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, T. pallidum subspecies pallidum, as well as other common STIs such as herpes simplex virus, hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). For each LAMP assay, we identified and summarised the key elements such as the type and number of tested clinical specimens, chosen target gene, detection system, reference test and clinical outcomes. We highlight the advantages and limitations of these assays and discuss the gaps that should be addressed to improve their applicability for POCT.

Point-of-need species identification using non-PCR DNA-based approaches to combat wildlife crime

Wildlife crime, defined as any unlawful exploitation and trade of wildlife, is a lucrative illegal global industry, along with narcotics and weapons trafficking. It encompasses the harvest, transport, exchange, and end use of wildlife or wildlife-derived products. Regulated internationally by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES, 1973), wildlife crime is primarily detected using morphological or DNA sequencing methods. However, there is a growing demand for rapid, portable, and cost-effective screening tools to bypass time-consuming workflows and specialist laboratory equipment. Point-of-need testing, particularly at wildlife hotspots like international borders, offers a promising solution for the swift detection of illegal activities. Isothermal amplification methods such as loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), rolling circle amplification (RCA), and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), are favoured for their low resource needs compared to traditional PCR. These methods can be combined with target detection methods such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and aptamers to enhance sensitivity. Integrating these methods with others, such as lateral flow assays (LFA) and microfluidic devices, simplifies sample preparation and visualisation. Already established in disease diagnosis and food safety, these innovations in genetic testing provide rapid, on-site detection. When applied to wildlife crime, they can serve as tools to complement traditional PCR and sequencing methods. This review explores how non-PCR based approaches could offer faster, simpler, and more cost-effective solutions to combat wildlife crime.

Development of Molecular-Based Screening Test for Hepatitis B Virus in Human Plasma Samples

Despite regular administration of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine in several countries, the mortality rate associated with HBV remains significant. The antiviral medications available for the treatment of HBV infection do not suffice for the serious complications related to chronic HBV infection. Additionally, the serological tests fail to detect early viral replication preventing early treatment response. Recently, many studies have demonstrated the significant advantages of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) over serological testing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), for the rapid detection of microbial pathogens. Here we developed a rapid, sensitive, and portable system-integrative LAMP assay for the detection of HBV DNA in plasma samples. The final optimized assay was achieved with an amplification time of less than 45 min at 62°C. The assay showed 100% specificity, 92.20% sensitivity, and a detection limit of 10 copies/µL in 77 HBV-positive plasma samples with known Cq values. Our results showed that the colorimetric LAMP assay is sensitive, efficient, and supremely reliable for rapid detection of HBV, and may be potentially used as a screening test in areas with poor laboratory facilities and limited resource availability.

Moving towards on-site detection of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in ready-to-eat leafy greens

Rapid identification of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, or STEC, is of utmost importance to assure the innocuousness of the foodstuffs. STEC have been implicated in outbreaks associated with different types of foods however, among them, ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables are particularly problematic as they are consumed raw, and are rich in compounds that inhibit DNA-based detection methods such as qPCR. In the present study a novel method based on Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to overcome the limitations associated with current molecular methods for the detection of STEC in RTE vegetables targeting stx1 and stx2 genes. In this sense, LAMP demonstrated to be more robust against inhibitory substances in food. In this study, a comprehensive enrichment protocol was combined with four inexpensive DNA extraction protocols. The one based on silica purification enhanced the performance of the method, therefore it was selected for its implementation in the final method. Additionally, three different detection chemistries were compared, namely real-time fluorescence detection, and two end-point colorimetric strategies, one based on the addition of SYBR Green, and the other based on a commercial colorimetric master mix. After optimization, all three chemistries demonstrated suitable for the detection of STEC in spiked RTE salad samples, as it was possible to reach a LOD50 of 0.9, 1.4, and 7.0 CFU/25 g for the real-time, SYBR and CC LAMP assays respectively. All the performance parameters reached values higher than 90 %, when compared to a reference method based on multiplex qPCR. More specifically, the analytical sensitivity was 100, 90.0 and 100 % for real-time, SYBR and CC LAMP respectively, the specificity 100 % for all three assays, and accuracy 100, 96 and 100 %. Finally, a high degree of concordance was also obtained (1, 0.92 and 1 respectively). Considering the current technological advances, the method reported, using any of the three detection strategies, demonstrated suitable for their implementation in decentralized settings, with low equipment resources.

Utility of quantitative loop mediated isothermal amplification (qLAMP) assay for the diagnosis of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD)

PURPOSE

Quantitative LAMP (qLAMP) assay is one of the recent and emerging diagnostic tests for infectious diseases. Only a few studies exist comparing this assay with quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for the diagnosis of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD).

AIM

To compare the diagnostic performance of qLAMP assay with qPCR targeting autolysin gene for the diagnosis of invasive pneumococcal disease.

METHODS

Ninety six blood samples and 73 CSF samples from patients clinically suspected with community acquired pneumonia and acute meningitis were tested by qPCR and qLAMP assays using previously published primers and protocols. The qPCR was considered as the gold standard test and the diagnostic performance was assessed by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and kappa coefficient for the level of agreement between the tests. Chi-squared/Fisher exact test was used to compare categorical variables (positive/negative).

RESULTS

Thirty two blood samples and 22 CSF samples were positive by qPCR while 24 and 20 samples were positive by qLAMP assay respectively. The sensitivity of qLAMP assay was only 86.4% and 75% when tested on CSF and blood samples respectively. However, the qLAMP assay was in substantial to almost perfect agreement when compared with qPCR. The results were statistically significant in both sample types (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The performance of qLAMP assay can vary based on the specimen type. It has very high specificity and had substantial to almost perfect agreement, and thus may be an alternative to qPCR for the diagnosis of IPD.

Rapid Visual Detection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Human Clinical Samples via Closed LAMP Assay Targeting mecA and spa Genes

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), particularly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), poses a significant global health threat as these bacteria increasingly become resistant to the most available therapeutic options. Thus, developing an efficient approach to rapidly screen MRSA directly from clinical specimens has become vital. In this study, we establish a closed-tube loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method incorporating hydroxy-naphthol blue (HNB) colorimetric dye assay to directly detect MRSA from clinical samples based on the presence of mecA and spa genes. In total, 125 preidentified S. aureus isolates and 93 clinical samples containing S. aureus were sourced from the microbiology laboratory at Hamad General Hospital (HGH). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were computed based on conventional PCR. The assay demonstrated 100% specificity, 91.23% sensitivity, 0.90 Cohen Kappa (CK), 100% PPV, and 87.8% NPV for the clinical samples, while clinical isolates exhibited 100% specificity, 97% sensitivity, 0.926 CK, 100% PPV, and 88.89% NPV. Compared to cefoxitin disk diffusion, LAMP provided 100% specificity and sensitivity, 1.00 CK, and 100% for PPV and NPV. The study revealed that the closed-tube LAMP incorporating (HNB) dye is a rapid technique with a turnaround time of less than 1 h and high specificity and sensitivity.

Point-of-Care Testing for Hepatitis Viruses: A Growing Need

Viral hepatitis, caused by hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV), or hepatitis E virus (HEV), is a major global public health problem. These viruses cause millions of infections each year, and chronic infections with HBV, HCV, or HDV can lead to severe liver complications; however, they are underdiagnosed. Achieving the World Health Organization's viral hepatitis elimination goals by 2030 will require access to simpler, faster, and less expensive diagnostics. The development and implementation of point-of-care (POC) testing methods that can be performed outside of a laboratory for the diagnosis of viral hepatitis infections is a promising approach to facilitate and expedite WHO's elimination targets. While a few markers of viral hepatitis are already available in POC formats, tests for additional markers or using novel technologies need to be developed and validated for clinical use. Potential methods and uses for the POC testing of antibodies, antigens, and nucleic acids that relate to the diagnosis, monitoring, or surveillance of viral hepatitis infections are discussed here. Unmet needs and areas where additional research is needed are also described.

Novel Assays to Solve the Clinical and Scientific Challenges of Chronic Hepatitis B

Chronic infection with Hepatitis B is a common, incurable, and deadly infection. Despite inexpensive laboratory tests for diagnosis and management that have been established for decades, the worldwide rate of diagnosis is only ∼10%, and ∼5% of people are under treatment. Novel assays have been developed to improve linkage to care by providing more flexible approaches to determine a patient's health status. Other assays have been established to better investigate intrahepatic host-virus interactions to support clinical trials for cure research. This review outlines the clinical and scientific challenges still to be solved and the upcoming methods used to address them.

Optimization of a rapid and sensitive nucleic acid lateral flow biosensor for hepatitis B virus detection

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The utilization of direct amplification of nucleic acid from lysate has attracted interest in the advancement of straightforward and economical point-of-care assays. Consequently, this study primarily focuses on the development of a rapid, precise, and cost-effective lateral flow biosensor for the convenient detection of HBV nucleic acid at the point-of-care. Furthermore, the study evaluates the effectiveness of the direct amplification method in comparison to purified nucleic acid samples within the context of LAMP-LF biosensing approaches.

METHODS

The experiments conducted in this study utilized clinical serum samples that were confirmed as HBV-positive through real-time PCR assays. Sample preparation involved employing spin column nucleic acid purification and serum heat treatment. To amplify a 250 bp fragment of the HBV polymerase gene, three pairs of specific LAMP primers were utilized, which were biotin-labeled and FITC-labeled for detection purposes. Various incubation temperatures (ranging from 64 to 68 °C) and durations (30 min, 45 min, and 1 h) were investigated to determine the optimal conditions for the LAMP assay. The results were subsequently assessed through fluorometric analysis, white turbidity measurements, and lateral flow assay. Milenia HybriDetect1 strips, designed for immediate use, were employed to visualize the LAMP amplicons. Furthermore, the performance of the lateral flow biosensor was evaluated using 10-fold serial dilutions of a secondary standard containing a viral load of 108 IU/ml.

RESULTS

The optimization of the LAMP reaction was achieved at a temperature of 67 °C, resulting in significant turbidity after a 30-minute incubation period. When the spin column purification method was employed, varying test bands were observed for templates ranging from 108 IU/ml to 101 IU/ml viral load. However, when serum samples underwent heat treatment and the resulting supernatant was directly used for LAMP, the lateral flow assay was capable of detecting a minimum viral load of 103 IU/ml.

CONCLUSION

In resource-limited settings, the LAMP-LF assay presents a promising solution for HBV testing. However, it is important to note that direct amplification without DNA purification may diminish the performance of the approach.

A Comparative Study on Visual Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Closed Tube Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification: Shedding Light on the Use of Eriochrome Black T

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification is a promising candidate for the rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, the high potential for carry-over contamination is the main obstacle to its routine use. Here, a closed tube LAMP was intended for the visual detection of Mtb to compare turbidimetric and two more favorable colorimetric methods using calcein and hydroxy naphthol blue (HNB). Additionally, a less studied dye (i.e., eriochrome black T (EBT)) was optimized in detail in the reaction for the first time. Mtb purified DNA and 30 clinical specimens were used to respectively determine the analytical and diagnostic sensitivities of each method. The turbidimetric method resulted in the best analytical sensitivity (100 fg DNA/reaction), diagnostic sensitivity and specificity (100%), and time-to-positivity of the test (15 min). However, this method is highly prone to subjective error in reading the results. Moreover, HNB-, calcein-, and EBT-LAMP could respectively detect 100 fg, 1 pg, and 1 pg DNA/reaction (the analytical sensitivities) in 30, 15, and 30 min, while the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were respectively 93.3% and 100% for them all. Interestingly, EBT-LAMP showed the lowest potential for subjective error in reading the results. This report helps judiciously choose the most appropriate visual method, taking a step forward toward the field applicability of LAMP for the detection of Mtb, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Development of sensitive and specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with lateral flow device for the rapid detection of hepatitis B virus infection

Hepatitis B virus is a highly infectious blood borne microbial pathogen that causes several hepatic complications like liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Several methods are available for the detection of HBV, but every method has their own merits and demerits, which restrict their use in clinical laboratories. The aim of this present study is the development of rapid, inexpensive, sensitive, and specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification followed by lateral flow device (LFD) for detection of HBV in blood specimens.

METHODS

HBV standard plasma panels and donor plasma specimens were used to evaluate the assay. HBV DNA was extracted by using QiAamp DNA Blood Mini Kit. Amplification was carried out at constant temperature 63 °C for 60 min. LAMP end products were analyzed by using ESE LAMP tube scanner, gel electrophoresis, UV-lamp, and lateral flow device.

RESULTS

HBV-LAMP-LFD assay revealed sensitivity of 92% (138/150) of HBV positive plasma specimens. Specificity of HBV-LAMP-LFD was calculated 100%.

CONCLUSION

Our study concludes that HBV-LAMP-LFD is rapid, easy to use, sensitive, and specific point-of-care diagnostic assay for the detection of hepatitis B virus in blood samples. This assay can be used in resource-limited settings as well as in HBV endemic areas.

Recent advances in loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for rapid and efficient detection of pathogens

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Significance of LAMP method in rapid disease diagnosis is highlighted.

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Different detection methods for amplicon visualization are explained.

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Advancements in LAMP technique for disease identification are summarized.

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Trends in development of LAMP disease diagnosis are discussed.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method has been demonstrated to bea reliable and robust method for detection and identification of viral and microbial pathogens. LAMP method of amplification, coupled with techniques for easy detection of amplicons, makes a simple-to-operate and easy-to-read molecular diagnostic tool for both laboratory and on-field settings. Several LAMP-based diagnostic kits and assays have been developed that are specifically targeted against a variety of pathogens. With the growing needs of the demanding molecular diagnostic industry, many technical advances have been made over the years by combining the basic LAMP principle with several other molecular approaches like real-time detection, multiplex methods, chip-based assays.This has resulted in enhancing thethe sensitivity and accuracy of LAMP for more rigorous and wide-ranging pathogen detection applications. This review summarizes the current developments in LAMP technique and their applicability in present and future disease diagnosis.

Recent Advances of Hepatitis B Detection towards Paper-Based Analytical Devices

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) still remains a major global public health problem. One-half to one-third of the total HBV infected people died due to late detection of HBV. Serological antigen and viral HBV detections can help in the diagnosis, referral, and treatment of HBV. Available methods for HBV detection mostly used bulky instruments. Miniaturization of devices for HBV detection has been started by narrowing down the size of the devices. Several methods have also been proposed to increase the selectivity and sensitivity of the miniaturized methods, such as sandwich recognition of the biomarkers and the use of nano- to micro-sized materials. This review presents recent HBV detections in the last two decades from laboratory-based instruments towards microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs) for point-of-care testing (POCT) purposes. Early and routine analysis to detect HBV as early as possible could be achieved by POCT, especially for areas with limited access to a central laboratory and/or medical facilities.

Isothermal nucleic acid amplification techniques for detection and identification of pathogenic fungi: A review

BACKGROUND

Fungal infections have increased during the last years due to the AIDS epidemic and immunosuppressive therapies. The available diagnostic methods, such as culture, histopathology and serology, have several drawbacks regarding sensitivity, specificity and time-consuming, while molecular methods are still expensive and dependent on many devices. In order to overcome these challenges, isothermal nucleic acid amplification techniques (INAT) arose as promising diagnostic methods for infectious diseases.

OBJECTIVE

This review aimed to present and discuss the main contributions of the isothermal nucleic acid amplification techniques applied in medical mycology.

METHODS

Papers containing terms for each INAT (NASBA, RCA, LAMP, CPA, SDA, HAD or PSR) and the terms 'mycoses' or 'disease, fungal' were obtained from National Center for Biotechnology Information database until August 2019.

RESULTS

NASBA, RCA, LAMP and PSR are the INAT reported in the literature for detection and identification of pathogenic fungi. Despite the need of a previous conventional PCR, the RCA technique might also be used for genotyping or cryptic species differentiation, which may be important for the treatment of certain mycoses; nevertheless, LAMP is the most used INAT for pathogen detection.

CONCLUSION

Among all INATs herein reviewed, LAMP seems to be the most appropriate method for fungal detection, since it is affordable, sensitive, specific, user-friendly, rapid, robust, equipment-free and deliverable to end-users, fulfilling all ASSURED criteria of the World Health Organization for an ideal diagnostic method.

Simple Detection of Hepatitis B Virus in Using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method

INTRODUCTION

US Military and civilian personnel regularly deploy to regions that are endemic for the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), including the Western Pacific, Africa, Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and Europe. When patients have life-threatening injuries that require any blood component that is not immediately available, they are typically transfused with locally collected fresh whole blood from a walking blood bank. Currently, there is no simple and easy method for sensitively screening fresh blood in deployed theaters of conflict.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In order to fill the gap, we have developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to detect the presence of HBV in blood products. The primers were designed to target the gene of the pre-Surface/Surface antigen region of HBV. The amplification reaction mixture was incubated at 60°C for 60 min. The amplicon can be detected by a handheld fluorescence tube scanner or an immune-chromatography test strip.

RESULTS

We were able to detect down to 10 copies of viral DNA by LAMP reaction for HBV DNA extracted from HBV-positive plasma. We also identified the optimal heat treatment condition (125°C for 10 min) for plasma specimens without requiring DNA extraction for the LAMP assay. The sensitivity of the assay was evaluated with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed HBV-positive samples. Using LAMP, we detected HBV in 107 out of 127 (84%) samples.

CONCLUSION

This LAMP assay has the potential to be used in resource-limited settings to improve the safety of locally collected blood in endemic regions.

Diagnostic accuracy of LAMP assay for HBV infection

Background

Detection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is vital for the diagnosis of hepatitis B infection. A novel test loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has been successfully applied to detect various pathogens. However, the accuracy of LAMP in diagnosing HBV remains unclear. Therefore, in the present study, the accuracy of LAMP for HBV detection was evaluated systematically.

Methods

Embase, Cochrane Library, and PubMed databases were searched for studies using LAMP to detect HBV. Then, two researchers extracted data and assessed the quality of literature using the QUADAS‐2 tool independently. I² statistic and chi‐square test were analyzed to investigate the heterogeneity, and Deek's funnel plot assessed the publication bias. The pooled sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive LR (PLR), negative LR (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and 95% confidence intervals were displayed in forest plots. We calculated the area under the curve (AUC) to assess the overall efficiency of LAMP for HBV detection.

Results

A total of nine studies with 1298 samples were finally included in this evaluation. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of HBV detection were 0.91 (95% CI: 0.89 ~ 0.92) and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.94 ~ 0.99), respectively. The PLR, NLR, and DOR were 16.93 (95% CI: 6.15 ~ 46.55), 0.08 (95% CI: 0.05 ~ 0.14), and 397.57 (95% CI: 145.41 ~ 1087.07). Besides, the AUC was 0.9872, and Deek's plot suggested that there existed publication bias in the studies.

Conclusion

Compared with PCR, LAMP is a simple, rapid, and effective assay to diagnose HBV. However, additional evidence is essential to confirm that LAMP can replace other methods in diagnosing HBV infection.

Current and Future Perspectives on Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification Technologies for Diagnosing Infections

Nucleic acid amplification technology (NAAT) has assumed a critical position in disease diagnosis in recent times and contributed significantly to healthcare. Application of these methods has resulted in a more sensitive, accurate and rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases than older traditional methods like culture-based identification. NAAT such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is widely applied but seldom available to resource-limited settings. Isothermal amplification (IA) methods provide a rapid, sensitive, specific, simpler and less expensive procedure for detecting nucleic acid from samples. However, not all of these IA techniques find regular applications in infectious diseases diagnosis. Disease diagnosis and treatment could be improved, and the rapidly increasing problem of antimicrobial resistance reduced, with improvement, adaptation, and application of isothermal amplification methods in clinical settings, especially in developing countries. This review centres on some isothermal techniques that have found documented applications in infectious diseases diagnosis, highlighting their principles, development, strengths, setbacks and imminent potentials for use at points of care.

Detecting wMel Wolbachia in field-collected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)

Background

The World Mosquito Program uses Wolbachia pipientis for the biocontrol of arboviruses transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Diagnostic testing for Wolbachia in laboratory colonies and in field-caught mosquito populations has typically employed PCR. New, simpler methods to diagnose Wolbachia infection in mosquitoes are required for large-scale operational use.

Methods

Field-collected Ae. aegypti mosquitoes from North Queensland were tested using primers designed to detect the Wolbachia wsp gene, specific to the strain wMel. The results were analysed by colour change in the reaction mix. Furthermore, to confirm the efficiency of the LAMP assay, the results were compared to the gold-standard qPCR test.

Results

A novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) colorimetric test for the wMel strain of Wolbachia was designed, developed and validated for use in a high-throughput setting. Against the standard qPCR test, the analytical sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic metrics were: sensitivity (99.6%), specificity (92.2%), positive predictive value (97.08%) and negative predictive value (99.30%).

Conclusions

We describe an alternative, novel and high-throughput method for diagnosing wMel Wolbachia infections in mosquitoes. This assay should support Wolbachia surveillance in both laboratory and field populations of Ae. aegypti.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-019-3666-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A rapid and sensitive recombinase aided amplification assay to detect hepatitis B virus without DNA extraction

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the major public health problem worldwide. In clinical practice, serological and molecular assays are the most commonly used diagnostic methods to detect HBV infection in clinical practices.

Methods

Here we present a rapid and sensitive recombinase aided amplification assay (RAA) to detect HBV at 39.0 °C for 30 min without DNA extraction from serum samples. The analytical sensitivity of RAA assay was 100 copies per reaction and showed no cross reaction with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). The universality of RAA assay was validated by testing of 41 archived serum samples with predefined HBV genotypes (B, C and D).

Results

A total of 130 archived suspected HBV infected serum samples were detected by commercial qPCR with DNA extraction and RAA assay without DNA extraction (heat-treatment). Compared with qPCR assay as a reference, the RAA assay obtained 95.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity and a kappa value of 0.818.

Conclusions

We developed a rapid, convenient, highly sensitive and specific method to detect HBV without DNA extraction in clinical samples. This RAA method of HBV detection is very suitable for clinical testing.