Development and evaluation of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid detection of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae based the dsbE-like gene

Validation of a colorimetric LAMP to detect Loxosceles experimental envenomation

Diagnostic tests for brown spider accidents are unavailable and impact treatment decisions, increasing costs and patient risks. In this work, we used for the first time a fast, simple, and visual method based on the loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay (LAMP) to detect Loxosceles envenomation. Using the DNA from L. similis legs, we observed a high sensitivity using this test since as low as 0.32 pg of DNA could be detected. This pH-dependent colorimetric assay was 64 times more sensitive than PCR to detect spider DNA. The test was specific for Loxosceles once no cross-reaction was observed when testing DNA from different agents that cause similar dermonecrotic injuries. The test allowed the detection of Loxosceles intermedia DNA from hair, serum, and exudate samples obtained from experimentally-envenomed rabbit within 72 h. The method sensitivity varied according to the sample and the collection time, reaching 100% sensitivity in serum and hair, respectively, 1 h and 24 h after the experimental envenomation. Due to its ease of execution, speed, sensitivity, and specificity, LAMP presents an excellent potential for identifying Loxosceles spp. Envenomation. This can reduce the burden on the Health System and the morbidity for the patient by implementing the appropriate therapy immediately.In addition, this work opens up the perspective to other venomous animal accident identification using LAMP.

Rapid Detection of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae From Clinical Samples Using Recombinase Polymerase Amplification

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP) is the causative agent of porcine pleuropneumonia, resulting in high economic impact worldwide. There are currently 19 known serovars of APP, with different ones being predominant in specific geographic regions. Outbreaks of pleuropneumonia, characterized by sudden respiratory difficulties and high mortality, can occur when infected pigs are brought into naïve herds, or by those carrying different serovars. Good biosecurity measures include regular diagnostic testing for surveillance purposes. Current gold standard diagnostic techniques lack sensitivity (bacterial culture), require expensive thermocycling machinery (PCR) and are time consuming (culture and PCR). Here we describe the development of an isothermal point-of-care diagnostic test - utilizing recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) for the detection of APP, targeting the species-specific apxIVA gene. Our APP-RPA diagnostic test achieved a sensitivity of 10 copies/μL using a strain of APP serovar 8, which is the most prevalent serovar in the UK. Additionally, our APP-RPA assay achieved a clinical sensitivity and specificity of 84.3 and 100%, respectively, across 61 extracted clinical samples obtained from farms located in England and Portugal. Using a small subset (n = 14) of the lung tissue samples, we achieved a clinical sensitivity and specificity of 76.9 and 100%, respectively) using lung imprints made on FTA cards tested directly in the APP-RPA reaction. Our results demonstrate that our APP-RPA assay enables a suitable rapid and sensitive screening tool for this important veterinary pathogen.

Modern Approach to Medical Diagnostics - the Use of Separation Techniques in Microorganisms Detection

Background:

Analytical chemistry and biotechnology as an interdisciplinary fields of science have been developed during many years and are experiencing significant growth, to cover a wide range of microorganisms separation techniques and methods, utilized for medical therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Currently scientific reports contribute by introducing electrophoretical and immunological methods and formation of devices applied in food protection (avoiding epidemiological diseases) and healthcare (safety ensuring in hospitals).

Methods:

Electrophoretic as well as nucleic-acid-based or specific immunological methods have contributed tremendously to the advance of analyses in recent three decades, particularly in relation to bacteria, viruses and fungi identifications, especially in medical in vitro diagnostics, as well as in environmental or food protection.

Results:

The paper presents the pathogen detection competitiveness of these methods against conventional ones, which are still too time consuming and also labor intensive. The review is presented in several parts following the current trends in improved pathogens separation and detection methods and their subsequent use in medical diagnosis.

Discussion:

Part one, consists of elemental knowledge about microorganisms as an introduction to their characterization: descriptions of divisions, sizes, membranes (cells) components. Second section includes the development, new technological and practical solution descriptions used in electrophoretical procedures during microbes analyses, with special attention paid to bio-samples analyses like blood, urine, lymph or wastewater. Third part covers biomolecular areas that have created a basis needed to identify the progress, limitations and challenges of nucleic-acid-based and immunological techniques discussed to emphasize the advantages of new separative techniques in selective fractionating of microorganisms.

A loop-mediated isothermal amplification procedure targeting the sodA gene for rapid and specific identification of Gallibacterium anatis

This paper reports on the development and validation of a real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay (LAMP) for rapid and specific identification of Gallibacterium anatis. To design a set of 6 primers using the LAMP technique, the conserved region of the G. anatis sodA gene was selected as a target. To evaluate primer specificity we used 120 field strains, the reference strain G. anatis ATCC 43329, and 9 non-G. anatis bacteria. The results confirmed positive reactions for all G. anatis strains tested by LAMP at 63°C for 60 min, with no cross-reactivity observed for the negative control bacteria, i.e., Haemophilus parainfluenzae (ATCC 51505 and ATCC 33392), Aggregatibacter aphrophilus ATCC 7901, Avibacterium endocarditis, Pasteurella multocida, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Avibacterium paragallinarum, Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale, and Escherichia coli. The lowest detectable amount of DNA for the LAMP reaction was 0.2561 pg, which was detected in about 34 min, while the highest available concentration of the G. anatis reference strain was detected in about 10 min. The lowest detectable amount of DNA for the real-time PCR reaction was 21.24 pg, which was detected in about 20 min, while the highest available concentration of the G. anatis reference strain was detected in about 7 min. Moreover, using the real-time LAMP assay the reaction could be effectively carried out in a volume of just 13 μL, about half the officially recommended reaction volume (25 μL). The aim of this study was to develop a highly sensitive and specific G. anatis real-time LAMP assay that is less time-consuming and less costly than quantitative PCR.

Development of loop-mediated isothermal amplification test for the diagnosis of contagious agalactia in goats

Contagious agalactia is a highly infectious disease affecting sheep and goats, mainly caused by Mycoplasma agalactiae. Although various tests are available for diagnosis of contagious agalactia, none of them is credited with the capacity to provide rapid and cost-effective diagnosis. This article reports the development of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) test targeting the p40 gene of M. agalactiae, for the diagnosis of classical contagious agalactia. Optimum amplification was obtained at 58 °C in 70 min. The developed test was found to be 100-fold more sensitive than PCR and detected up to 20-fg level of DNA. The test was also superior to conventional PCR in detecting from artificially contaminated milk, i.e. 10(4)-fold more sensitive. The developed LAMP test could detect up to 10 cfu/ml of artificially contaminated milk, indicating its potential for being developed as a field test for rapid and sensitive diagnosis.