Development of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) for Universal Detection of Enteroviruses

Enteroviruses are found in most environments and cause several diseases in humans. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was adapted and evaluated for the rapid detection of enteroviruses. Based on the highly conserved 5′ untranslated region (5′-UTR) of the human enteroviruses (HEVs), particularly human enterovirus A (HEV-A) and HEV-B, a set of universal primers was designed. The LAMP amplification was carried out under isothermal conditions at 61 °C, depending on the template concentration results were obtained within 45–90 min. The detection limits were found to be 10¹ copies of cloned enterovirus 71 fragments, more sensitive than conventional PCR. Nine water samples collected from drinking water sources during three seasons and 19 stool specimens collected from HFMD patients were analyzed. By using the LAMP assay, the majority of samples was tested positive, 9/9 (100 %) and 18/19 (94.7 %), respectively. LAMP is a practical method for the rapid detection of enteroviruses in environmental and clinical samples.     

Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Method for Rapid Detection of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) of DNA is a novel technique that rapidly amplifies target DNA under isothermal conditions. In the present study, a LAMP test was designed from the serum resistance-associated (SRA) gene of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, the cause of the acute form of African sleeping sickness, and used to detect parasite DNA from processed and heat-treated infected blood samples. The SRA gene is specific to T. b. rhodesiense and has been shown to confer resistance to lysis by normal human serum. The assay was performed at 62°C for 1 h, using six primers that recognised eight targets. The template was varying concentrations of trypanosome DNA and supernatant from heat-treated infected blood samples. The resulting amplicons were detected using SYTO-9 fluorescence dye in a real-time thermocycler, visual observation after the addition of SYBR Green I, and gel electrophoresis. DNA amplification was detected within 35 min. The SRA LAMP test had an unequivocal detection limit of one pg of purified DNA (equivalent to 10 trypanosomes/ml) and 0.1 pg (1 trypanosome/ml) using heat-treated buffy coat, while the detection limit for conventional SRA PCR was ∼1,000 trypanosomes/ml. The expected LAMP amplicon was confirmed through restriction enzyme RsaI digestion, identical melt curves, and sequence analysis. The reproducibility of the SRA LAMP assay using water bath and heat-processed template, and the ease in results readout show great potential for the diagnosis of T. b. rhodesiense in endemic regions.     

Clinical Evaluation of a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assay for Rapid Detection of Neisseria meningitidis in Cerebrospinal Fluid

BackgroundNeisseria meningitidis (Nm) is a leading causative agent of bacterial meningitis in humans. Traditionally, meningococcal meningitis has been diagnosed by bacterial culture. However, isolation of bacteria from patients’ cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is time consuming and sometimes yields negative results. Recently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnostic methods of detecting Nm have been considered the gold standard because of their superior sensitivity and specificity compared with culture. In this study, we developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method and evaluated its ability to detect Nm in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).Conclusions/SignificanceCompared to PCR, LAMP detected Nm with higher analytical and clinical sensitivity. This sensitive and specific LAMP method offers significant advantages for screening patients on a population basis and for diagnosis in clinical settings.     

Development of a Highly Sensitive Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Method for the Detection of Loa loa

The filarial parasite Loa loa, the causative agent of loiasis, is endemic in Central and Western Africa infecting 3–13 million people. L. loa has been associated with fatal encephalopathic reactions in high Loa-infected individuals receiving ivermectin during mass drug administration programs for the control of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis. In endemic areas, the only diagnostic method routinely used is the microscopic examination of mid-day blood samples by thick blood film. Improved methods for detection of L. loa are needed in endemic regions with limited resources, where delayed diagnosis results in high mortality. We have investigated the use of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to facilitate rapid, inexpensive, molecular diagnosis of loiasis. Primers for LAMP were designed from a species-specific repetitive DNA sequence from L. loa retrieved from GenBank. Genomic DNA of a L. loa adult worm was used to optimize the LAMP conditions using a thermocycler or a conventional heating block. Amplification of DNA in the LAMP mixture was visually inspected for turbidity as well as addition of fluorescent dye. LAMP specificity was evaluated using DNA from other parasites; sensitivity was evaluated using DNA from L. loa 10-fold serially diluted. Simulated human blood samples spiked with DNA from L. loa were also tested for sensitivity. Upon addition of fluorescent dye, all positive reactions turned green while the negative controls remained orange under ambient light. After electrophoresis on agarose gels, a ladder of multiple bands of different sizes could be observed in positive samples. The detection limit of the assay was found to be as little as 0.5 ag of L. loa genomic DNA when using a heating block. We have designed, for the first time, a highly sensitive LAMP assay for the detection of L. loa which is potentially adaptable for field diagnosis and disease surveillance in loiasis-endemic areas.     

Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Bartonella bacilliformis in Experimentally Infected Sand Flies by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) of the Pap31 Gene

Background

Carrion'' disease, caused by Bartonella bacilliformis, remains truly neglected due to its focal geographical nature. A wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, including asymptomatic bacteremia, and lack of a sensitive diagnostic test can potentially lead to a spread of the disease into non-endemic regions where competent sand fly vectors may be present. A reliable test capable of detecting B. bacilliformis is urgently needed. Our objective is to develop a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the pap31 gene to detect B. bacilliformis.

Methods and Findings

The sensitivity of the LAMP was evaluated in comparison to qPCR using plasmid DNA containing the target gene and genomic DNA in the absence and presence of human or sand fly DNA. The detection limit of LAMP was 1 to 10 copies/µL, depending on the sample metrics. No cross-reaction was observed when testing against a panel of various closely related bacteria. The utility of the LAMP was further compared to qPCR by the examination of 74 Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies artificially fed on blood spiked with B. bacilliformis and harvested at days (D) 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 post feeding. Only 86% of sand flies at D1 and 63% of flies at D3 were positive by qPCR. LAMP was able to detect B. bacilliformis in all those flies confirmed positive by qPCR. However, none of the flies after D3 were positive by either LAMP or qPCR. In addition to demonstrating the sensitivity of the LAMP assay, these results suggest that B. bacilliformis cannot propagate in artificially fed L. longipalpis.

Conclusions

The LAMP assay is as sensitive as qPCR for the detection of B. bacilliformis and could be useful to support diagnosis of patients in low-resource settings and also to identify B. bacilliformis in the sand fly vector.     

Detection of the Quarantine Species Thrips palmi by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification

Thrips palmi (from the order Thysanoptera) is a serious insect pest of various crops, including vegetables, fruits and ornamental plants, causing significant economic losses. Its presence constitutes a double threat; not only does T. palmi feed on the plants, it is also a vector for several plant viruses. T. palmi originated in Asia, but has spread to North and Central America, Africa, Oceania and the Caribbean in recent decades. This species has been sporadically noted in Europe and is under quarantine regulation in the European Union. For non-specialists its larval stages are indistinguishable morphologically from another widespread and serious insect pest Frankliniella occidentalis (a non-quarantine species in the European Union) as well as other frequently occurring thrips. In this study, we have developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification protocol to amplify rDNA regions of T. palmi. The results were consistent whether isolated DNA or crushed insects were used as template, indicating that the DNA isolation step could be omitted. The described method is species-specific and sensitive and provides a rapid diagnostic tool to detect T. palmi in the field.     

Development of A Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) for the Detection of F5 Fimbriae Gene in Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)

The objective of this study was to establish a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for the detection of F5 fimbriae gene in Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. A set of four primers were designed based on the conservative sequence of coding F5 fimbriae. Temperature and time condition, specificity test, and sensitivity test were performed with the DNA of Escherichia coli (F5+). The results showed that the optimal reaction condition for LAMP was achieved at 61 °C for 45 min in a water bath. Ladder-like products were produced with those F5-positive samples by LAMP, while no product was generated with other negative samples. The assay of LAMP had a detection limit equivalent to 72 cfu/tube, which was more sensitive than PCR (7.2 × 10² cfu/tube). The agreement rate between LAMP and PCR was 100 % in detecting simulation samples. Thus, the LAMP assay may be a new method for rapid detection of F5 fimbriae gene of ETEC.     

环介导的恒温扩增技术及其在病毒性疾病诊断中的应用

环介导的恒温扩增（LAMP）是近年来新兴的一种快速DNA扩增技术,其基本原理在于利用4个特殊设计的引物和具有链置换活性的DNA聚合酶,在恒温条件下对靶序列进行扩增。LAMP技术具有特异性强、敏感性高、反应迅速、设备简单等特点,在人类病毒性疾病的诊断领域有着广泛的应用。     

用环介导等温扩增技术快速检测粪便样本中的沙门菌

目的:建立快速检测粪便样本中的沙门菌的环介导等温扩增技术(LAMP),并着重在灵敏度和特异性方面对此方法进行评价。方法:利用LAMP针对沙门菌特定基因invA(靶基因)设计的6条特异引物,通过引物特异性识别特定基因invA上的8个独立区域来快速检测沙门菌;LAMP反应过程中会产生白色沉淀焦磷酸镁,故可以通过监测浊度来判定反应结果。结果:实时浊度仪监测反应结果表明,LAMP反应在60~65℃等温条件下50 min内完成;如果在反应前添加羟基萘酚兰,蓝色阳性结果很明显区别于紫色阴性结果;LAMP的最低检出限为6.97 pg/μL,PCR为69.7pg/μL,LAMP方法的检测灵敏度是PCR的10倍,且具有良好的特异性。结论:LAMP方法用于快速检测沙门菌,具有检测过程简单、实验装置简便、反应结果肉眼可辨、灵敏度高、特异性强的特点,对非沙门菌菌株的结果呈阴性,表明引物设计有很好的特异性。对粪便样本进行检测,发现具有同样的敏感性和特异性。这表明LAMP法是潜在的和有价值的在粪便样本中直接检测沙门菌的方法,具有快速、简便、低成本的特点。LAMP法适用于快速临床诊断。     

犬瘟热病毒RT-LAMP检测方法的建立和初步应用

目的利用环介导等温扩增（LAMP）技术建立一种检测犬瘟热病毒感染的新方法。方法根据GenBank中NP基因序列,设计4条LAMP特异性引物,对反应条件、特异性、可视化效果和应用效果进行研究。结果在60℃等温的条件下、1 h内可完成RT-LAMP扩增过程;特异性和可视效果良好;对63份临床标本进行检测,阳性检出率为71.4%（45/63）,检出率高于RT-PCR的63.5%（40/63）。结论建立的RT-LAMP检测方法,显示了较高的特异性和敏感性,而且兼具高效、快捷、可视化的优势,为临床检测犬瘟热病毒感染提供了一种快速简便的新途径。     

Sensitive Detection of Xanthomonas oryzae Pathovars oryzae and oryzicola by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification

Molecular diagnostics for crop diseases can enhance food security by enabling the rapid identification of threatening pathogens and providing critical information for the deployment of disease management strategies. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a PCR-based tool that allows the rapid, highly specific amplification of target DNA sequences at a single temperature and is thus ideal for field-level diagnosis of plant diseases. We developed primers highly specific for two globally important rice pathogens, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, the causal agent of bacterial blight (BB) disease, and X. oryzae pv. oryzicola, the causal agent of bacterial leaf streak disease (BLS), for use in reliable, sensitive LAMP assays. In addition to pathovar distinction, two assays that differentiate X. oryzae pv. oryzae by African or Asian lineage were developed. Using these LAMP primer sets, the presence of each pathogen was detected from DNA and bacterial cells, as well as leaf and seed samples. Thresholds of detection for all assays were consistently 10⁴ to 10⁵ CFU ml⁻¹, while genomic DNA thresholds were between 1 pg and 10 fg. Use of the unique sequences combined with the LAMP assay provides a sensitive, accurate, rapid, simple, and inexpensive protocol to detect both BB and BLS pathogens.     

快速检测HBV DNA的环状介导等温DNA扩增法

环状介导等温DNA扩增（LAMP）技术是一种新的核酸扩增方法,它能够高特异性、高效、快速地进行核酸的扩增。利用LAMP法检测乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）,能够在等温条件下于1h内将少量的基因拷贝数扩增至10^9,在对65份临床标本的检测中显示了较高的特异性。与现有的PCR技术相比,LAMP法更加简便快速,且在等温条件下进行,不需要复杂的仪器设备,为临床检测乙肝病毒提供了一个快速筒便的新方法。     

Diagnosis of Brugian Filariasis by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification

In this study we developed and evaluated a Brugia Hha I repeat loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the rapid detection of Brugia genomic DNA. Amplification was detected using turbidity or fluorescence as readouts. Reactions generated a turbidity threshold value or a clear visual positive within 30 minutes using purified genomic DNA equivalent to one microfilaria. Similar results were obtained using DNA isolated from blood samples containing B. malayi microfilariae. Amplification was specific to B. malayi and B. timori, as no turbidity was observed using DNA from the related filarial parasites Wuchereria bancrofti, Onchocerca volvulus or Dirofilaria immitis, or from human or mosquito. Furthermore, the assay was most robust using a new strand-displacing DNA polymerase termed Bst 2.0 compared to wild-type Bst DNA polymerase, large fragment. The results indicate that the Brugia Hha I repeat LAMP assay is rapid, sensitive and Brugia-specific with the potential to be developed further as a field tool for diagnosis and mapping of brugian filariasis.     

Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) for Rapid Detection and Quantification of Dehalococcoides Biomarker Genes in Commercial Reductive Dechlorinating Cultures KB-1 and SDC-9

Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) protocols specific to the reductive dehalogenase (RDase) genes vcrA, bvcA, and tceA are commonly used to quantify Dehalococcoides spp. in groundwater from chlorinated solvent-contaminated sites. In this study, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was developed as an alternative approach for the quantification of these genes. LAMP does not require a real-time thermal cycler (i.e., amplification is isothermal), allowing the method to be performed using less-expensive and potentially field-deployable detection devices. Six LAMP primers were designed for each of three RDase genes (vcrA, bvcA, and tceA) using Primer Explorer V4. The LAMP assays were compared to conventional qPCR approaches using plasmid standards, two commercially available bioaugmentation cultures, KB-1 and SDC-9 (both contain Dehalococcoides species). DNA was extracted over a growth cycle from KB-1 and SDC-9 cultures amended with trichloroethene and vinyl chloride, respectively. All three genes were quantified for KB-1, whereas only vcrA was quantified for SDC-9. A comparison of LAMP and qPCR using standard plasmids indicated that quantification results were similar over a large range of gene concentrations. In addition, the quantitative increase in gene concentrations over one growth cycle of KB-1 and SDC-9 using LAMP was comparable to that of qPCR. The developed LAMP assays for vcrA and tceA genes were validated by comparing quantification on the Gene-Z handheld platform and a real-time thermal cycler using DNA isolated from eight groundwater samples obtained from an SDC-9-bioaugmented site (Tulsa, OK). These assays will be particularly useful at sites subject to bioaugmentation with these two commonly used Dehalococcoides species-containing cultures.     

环介导等温基因扩增技术及其在病毒检测中的应用

环介导等温扩增是一门新兴的分子生物学检测技术,因其具有特异性高、敏感性高、简单、快捷及不需要昂贵的仪器设备等特点,受到了生物医学研究者的高度关注。目前,该方法已经被广泛应用于各种病原微生物检测。简要综述了环介导等温扩增技术的原理、特点,及其在病毒检测中的应用。     

Development of a Rapid,Simple Method for Detecting Naegleria fowleri Visually in Water Samples by Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP)

Naegleria fowleri is the causative agent of the fatal disease primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Detection of N. fowleri using conventional culture and biochemical-based assays is time-consuming and laborious, while molecular techniques, such as PCR, require laboratory skills and expensive equipment. We developed and evaluated a novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the virulence-related gene for N. fowleri. Time to results is about 90 min and amplification products were easily detected visually using hydroxy naphthol blue. The LAMP was highly specific after testing against related microorganisms and able to detect one trophozoite, as determined with spiked water and cerebrospinal fluid samples. The assay was then evaluated with a set of 80 water samples collected during the flooding crisis in Thailand in 2011, and 30 natural water samples from border areas of northern, eastern, western, and southern Thailand. N. fowleri was detected in 13 and 10 samples using LAMP and PCR, respectively, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.855. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a LAMP assay for N. fowleri. Due to its simplicity, speed, and high sensitivity, the LAMP method described here might be useful for quickly detecting and diagnosing N. fowleri in water and clinical samples, particularly in resource-poor settings.     

Sensitive and Rapid Detection of Edwardsiellosis in Fish by a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method

Here we report a rapid and sensitive method (using loop-mediated isothermal amplification [LAMP]) for the diagnosis of edwardsiellosis, a fish disease caused by Edwardsiella tarda, in Japanese flounder. A set of four primers was designed, and conditions for the detection were optimized for the detection of E. tarda in 45 min at 65°C. No amplification of the target hemolysin gene was detected in other related bacteria. When the LAMP primers were used, detection of edwardsiellosis in infected Japanese flounder kidney, and spleen and seawater cultures was possible. We have developed a rapid and sensitive diagnostic protocol for edwardsiellosis detection in fish. This is the first report of the application of LAMP for the diagnosis of a fish pathogen.     

环介导等温可视扩增检测牛分枝杆菌方法的建立

目的:建立一种快速简便检测牛分枝杆菌的方法。方法:根据已发表的牛分枝杆菌特殊基因序列,设计并合成6对特异扩增牛分枝杆菌特异性基因片段的引物,通过条件优化,建立针对牛分枝杆菌的环介导等温扩增(LAMP)检测法,测定其特异性和敏感性,并对采集的牛临床样品的DNA分别进行检测。结果:采用该法只检出牛分枝杆菌,检测的最低拷贝数为1×102拷贝/μL。结论:建立的LAMP方法简便、快速、特异性高,可用于临床上牛分枝杆菌的快速检测。