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Gondard M, Lane M, Barratt J, Talundzic E, Qvarnstrom Y. Simultaneous targeted amplicon deep sequencing and library preparation for a time and cost-effective universal parasite diagnostic sequencing approach. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:3243-3256. [PMID: 37940706 PMCID: PMC10772880 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07991-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
We recently described a targeted amplicon deep sequencing (TADS) strategy that utilizes a nested PCR targeting the 18S rDNA gene of blood-borne parasites. The assay facilitates selective digestion of host DNA by targeting enzyme restriction sites present in vertebrates but absent in parasites. This enriching of parasite-derived amplicon drastically reduces the proportion of host-derived reads during sequencing and results in the sensitive detection of several clinically important blood parasites including Plasmodium spp., Babesia spp., kinetoplastids, and filarial nematodes. Despite these promising results, high costs and the laborious nature of metagenomics sequencing are prohibitive to the routine use of this assay in most laboratories. We describe and evaluate a new metagenomic approach that utilizes a set of primers modified from our original assay that incorporates Illumina barcodes and adapters during the PCR steps. This modification makes amplicons immediately compatible with sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform, removing the need for a separate library preparation, which is expensive and time-consuming. We compared this modified assay to our previous nested TADS assay in terms of preparation speed, limit of detection (LOD), and cost. Our modifications reduced assay turnaround times from 7 to 5 days. The cost decreased from approximately $40 per sample to $11 per sample. The modified assay displayed comparable performance in the detection and differentiation of human-infecting Plasmodium spp., Babesia spp., kinetoplastids, and filarial nematodes in clinical samples. The LOD of this modified approach was determined for malaria parasites and remained similar to that previously reported for our earlier assay (0.58 Plasmodium falciparum parasites/µL of blood). These modifications markedly reduced costs and turnaround times, making the assay more amenable to routine diagnostic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Gondard
- Parasitic Diseases Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Meredith Lane
- Parasitic Diseases Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Synergy America Inc., Duluth, GA, USA
| | - Joel Barratt
- Parasitic Diseases Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Eldin Talundzic
- Malaria Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yvonne Qvarnstrom
- Parasitic Diseases Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Lane M, Kashani M, Barratt JLN, Qvarnstrom Y, Yabsley MJ, Garrett KB, Bradbury RS. Application of a universal parasite diagnostic test to biological specimens collected from animals. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 20:20-30. [PMID: 36593876 PMCID: PMC9803608 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
A previously described universal parasite diagnostic (nUPDx) based on PCR amplification of the 18S rDNA and deep-amplicon sequencing, can detect human blood parasites with a sensitivity comparable to real-time PCR. To date, the efficacy of this assay has only been assessed on human blood. This study assessed the utility of nUPDx for the detection of parasitic infections in animals using blood, tissues, and other biological sample types from mammals, birds, and reptiles, known to be infected with helminth, apicomplexan, or pentastomid parasites (confirmed by microscopy or PCR), as well as negative samples. nUPDx confirmed apicomplexan and/or nematode infections in 24 of 32 parasite-positive mammals, while also identifying several undetected coinfections. nUPDx detected infections in 6 of 13 positive bird and 1 of 2 positive reptile samples. When applied to 10 whole parasite specimens (worms and arthropods), nUPDx identified all to the genus or family level, and detected one incorrect identification made by morphology. Babesia sp. infections were detected in 5 of the 13 samples that were negative by other diagnostic approaches. While nUPDx did not detect PCR/microscopy-confirmed trichomonads or amoebae in cloacal swabs/tissue from 8 birds and 2 reptiles due to primer template mismatches, 4 previously undetected apicomplexans were detected in these samples. Future efforts to improve the utility of the assay should focus on validation against a larger panel of tissue types and animal species. Overall, nUPDx shows promise for use in both veterinary diagnostics and wildlife surveillance, especially because species-specific PCRs can miss unknown or unexpected pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith Lane
- Parasitic Diseases Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA,Synergy America Inc., Duluth, GA, USA
| | - Mitra Kashani
- Parasitic Diseases Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA,Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Joel LN. Barratt
- Parasitic Diseases Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA,Corresponding author.
| | - Yvonne Qvarnstrom
- Parasitic Diseases Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Michael J. Yabsley
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kayla B. Garrett
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA,Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Richard S. Bradbury
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Federation University, Berwick Campus, Berwick, Victoria, Australia
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