Sensitive and specific detection of Cryptosporidium species in PCR-negative samples by loop-mediated isothermal DNA amplification and confirmation of generated LAMP products by sequencing

Three LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal DNA amplification) assays were applied to detect Cryptosporidium species DNA in a total number of 270 fecal samples originating from cattle, sheep and horses in South Africa. DNA was extracted from 0.5 g of fecal material. Results of LAMP detection were compared to those obtained by nested PCR targeting the Cryptosporidium 18 small subunit rRNA (18S) gene. All samples were negative by nested PCR, while up to one-third of samples were positive by LAMP assays. The SAM-1 LAMP assay, shown to detect C. parvum, C. hominis and C. meleagridis, amplified Cryptosporidium DNA in 36 of 107 cattle (33.64%), in 26 of 85 sheep (30.5%) and in 17 of 78 horses (21.79%). The HSP LAMP specific to C. muris and C. andersoni, amplified Cryptosporidium DNA in one cow (0.9%), five sheep (5.8%) and seven horses (8.9%). The gp60 LAMP assay, shown to detect C. parvum produced no amplified Cryptosporidium DNA, likely due to low sample DNA concentrations. The specificity of LAMP assays was confirmed by sequencing of the LAMP products generated in positive samples. Sequence products from the three LAMP assays showed high identity to the target gene sequences confirming the specificity of LAMP. In this study, the LAMP procedure was clearly superior to nested PCR in the detection of Cryptosporidium species DNA. Use of LAMP is proposed as an efficient and effective tool for epidemiologic survey studies including screening of healthy animals in which Cryptosporidium oocyst shedding is characteristically low and likely below the detection limit of PCR in conventional sample concentrates.     

Use of a multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay in the antemortem diagnosis of toxoplasmosis and neosporosis in the central nervous system of cats and dogs

OBJECTIVE: To develop a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum DNA in canine and feline biological samples. SAMPLE POPULATION; Biological samples from 7 cats with systemic (n = 4) or CNS (3) toxoplasmosis, 6 dogs with neospora- or toxoplasma-associated encephalitis, and 11 animals with nonprotozoal disease. PROCEDURE: Primers for T gondii, N caninum, and the canine ferritin gene (dogs) or feline histone 3.3 gene (cats) were combined in a single PCR assay. The DNA was extracted from paraffin-embedded brain tissue, CSF, or skeletal muscle. The PCR products with positive results were cloned, and sequence identity was confirmed. RESULTS: Of 7 cats and 4 dogs with immunohistochemical or serologic evidence of toxoplasmosis, PCR results were positive for all cats and 3 dogs for T gondii, and positive for T gondii and N caninum for 1 dog. Another dog had negative PCR results for both parasites. Of 2 dogs with immunohistochemical or serologic evidence of neosporosis, PCR results were positive for 1 for N caninum and positive for the other for T gondii. All negative-control samples yielded negative results for T gondii and N caninum on the PCR assay. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Standard tests for toxoplasmosis or neosporosis associated with the CNS rely on serologic, histologic, or immunohistochemical analysis and can be difficult to interpret. The multiplex PCR assay with built-in control reactions could be a complementary clinical tool for the antemortem diagnosis of toxoplasmosis or neosporosis associated with the CNS.     

Survey of ovine and caprine toxoplasmosis by IFAT and PCR assays in Sardinia, Italy

During the period 1999-2002, we have analyzed 9639 serum samples and 815 aborted samples (670 fetuses and 145 placenta) from 964 ovine and caprine farms distributed over all Sardinia island. After abortion notification, sera collected at random from adult animals were examined to detect simultaneously IgG and IgM antibodies specific to Toxoplasma gondii by indirect immunofluorescence assay, whereas fetuses and placenta were analyzed by a single tube nested PCR assay. Specific IgG antibodies were detected in 2048 (28.4%) sheep and 302 (12.3%) goats, specific IgM antibodies were found in 652 (9%) sheep and 139 (5.6%) goats. From a total of 2471 ovine and 362 caprine fetal samples including muscle, liver, abomasum, spleen, brain and placenta, 271 (11.1%) ovine and 23 (6.4%) caprine samples were T. gondii PCR-positive. Although T. gondii DNA was amplified from different types of tissues, placenta was the tissue with the highest detection rate. On the one hand, these results indicate that the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in sheep and goats is relatively high, on the other PCR results demonstrate that T. gondii has a significant role in ovine and caprine abortion. Adequate management might be useful and essential to control the toxoplasmosis in the sheep and goats herds of Sardinia.     

Application of assays for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in a colony of woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha).

Toxoplasma gondii infection is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in New World primate species. Clinical abnormalities associated with toxoplasmosis can be nonspecific, making it difficult to make a definitive antemortem diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment. Toxoplasmosis in New World primates can have a rapid clinical course, which may lessen the diagnostic utility of antemortem tests. However, while there are a variety of T. gondii serum antibody tests and T. gondii polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays available that are not species specific, these assays have not been comparatively applied to New World primate cases. Woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha), a species of New World primate, are highly susceptible to fatal toxoplasmosis. Archived serum samples from 15 living and deceased woolly monkeys housed at the Louisville Zoological Garden (Louisville, Kentucky) were tested for T. gondii antibodies by a commercially available latex agglutination kit, a commercially available indirect hemagglutination kit, and the modified agglutination test. In addition, aliquots of the sera were assayed for T. gondii DNA using a PCR assay. Both woolly monkeys that died of disseminated toxoplasmosis were positive in all four assays, indicating that each could be used to aid in the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in this species. We suspect that these assays have applications to other species of New World primates.     

Survey on the contamination of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in the soil of public parks of Wuhan, China

Toxoplasma gondii of warm-blooded animals and humans is an important pathogenic agent throughout the world. Soil is increasingly recognized as an important source in the transmission of Toxoplasma. To attain the contamination status of T. gondii in the soil of public parks, a total of 252 soil samples were collected from September 2009 to August 2010 at different sites located in 6 public parks of Wuhan, Hubei, China and detected by PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The detection limit of PCR/B1, PCR/529 and LAMP was determined to be 50, 5, and 5 tachyzoites in soil, respectively. Forty-one samples were found positive for Toxoplasma DNA by PCR on both genes, whereas LAMP products were generated in 58 samples (χ(2)=3.6328, P=0.0567). All parks were found contaminated and no significant difference was found among the parks (PCR: χ(2)=0.0072, P=0.9325; LAMP: χ(2)=0.6101, P=0.4347). However, contamination was found with significantly different among the four seasons (PCR: χ(2)=11.6066, P=0.0007; LAMP: χ(2)=12.4636, P=0.0004), with a gradual decrease in the prevalence from spring to winter on both analyses. This is the first investigation on soil contamination of public parks in China by T. gondii oocysts. The results indicate that the soil of public parks contaminated with T. gondii oocysts may play a role in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis and effective preventive measures should be considered. Moreover, the conventional PCR and LAMP used in the present study are applicable to detect T. gondii oocysts in soil samples.     

牛瑟氏泰勒虫环介导等温扩增检测方法的建立

为建立快捷、灵敏的牛瑟氏泰勒虫(T.sergenti)检测方法,本研究以感染牛T.sergenti的阳性血液为试验材料,建立了牛T.sergenti P33表面蛋白基因环介导等温扩增(LAMP)检测技术,并优化了LAMP的各反应条件,进行了敏感性和特异性试验。结果显示,扩增产物经显色、电泳、酶切鉴定后,LAMP方法扩增牛T.sergenti产物检测管显色后呈阳性反应,最低检测量为2.3fg/μL模板DNA,比普通PCR高10倍,牛T.sergenti LAMP产物电泳后呈特征性梯状条带,而弓形虫等对照组均无扩增条带。说明本研究建立的LAMP方法具有灵敏、特异、快速等优点,适合于牛T.sergenti的检测。     

Comparison of various primer sets for detection of Toxoplasma gondii by polymerase chain reaction in fetal tissues from naturally aborted foxes

Tissues from 4 aborted polar foxes (3 samples of brain and 4 samples of liver) were selected for Toxoplasma gondii PCR assay. Positive results of serological tests of mothers and immunofluorescence test (IFT) of fetal organ smears were the criteria of sample selection. Five sets of primers designed from B1 gene and ITS1 sequences of T. gondii were used for detection of the parasite in fetal fox tissues. All used primer sets successfully amplified T. gondii DNA in PCR from organs which were positive by IFT. Single tube nested PCR also showed positive result from a sample negative by IFT, but this product was not confirmed. The studies showed usefullness of PCR for routine diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in carnivores.     

弓形虫Real-time PCR检测方法的建立和初步应用

根据已发表的弓形虫529 bp高拷贝序列,设计特异性引物和探针,建立TaqMan探针法的实时荧光定量PCR检测方法。将该方法用于360份临床样本的检测,并与常规PCR和环介导等温扩增(LAMP)技术进行对比分析。结果表明:Real-time PCR检测的阳性率(11.11%)高于LAMP(7.5%)和常规PCR(3.61%)。采用本实验室建立的Real-time PCR,对收集于不同地区4种动物的750份临床样本检测发现,不同种类动物血液样本中均可检测到弓形虫感染,其中羊的感染率最高(17.8%),猪次之(4.22%),牛较低(1.98%),犬最低(1.37%)。     

对虾白斑综合症病毒变性高效液相色谱检测方法的建立与应用

据对虾白斑综合症病毒(WSSV)的基因保守序列,使用Primer Explorer V3软件设计了2条引物,利用PCR的扩增产物,结合变性高效液相色谱(DHPLC)技术,建立了一种对虾白斑综合症病毒的DHPLC快速检测方法。该检测方法特异性好,与传染性皮下和造血器官坏死病毒、斑节对虾杆状病毒、肝胰腺细小病毒、对虾杆状病毒以及对虾基因组DNA无交叉反应;检测灵敏度较高,约为10-5ng/μL,高于常规PCR及荧光定量PCR的灵敏度。用建立的DHPLC方法对100尾对虾样品进行了临床检测,结果与荧光定量PCR检测结果一致。WSSV的DHPLC检测方法,特异性强、灵敏度高,是对WSSV进行有效检测的一种新方法。     

肝螺杆菌LAMP快速检测方法的建立及初步应用

根据肝螺杆菌fla B基因保守区域设计一组特异性引物,经过条件优化、特异性和敏感性分析,成功建立了肝螺杆菌LAMP快速检测方法。结果显示,建立的LAMP扩增方法仅能检测出肝螺杆菌,其他常见细菌未见特异性扩增。检出肝螺杆菌最低模板量为86.9fg/L,是普通PCR所需模板量的1/10。本研究建立的LAMP快速检测方法具备操作简单、特异性好、灵敏度高的优点,结果易于观察,对仪器设备要求低,适宜推广应用。     

牛轮状病毒三种核酸检测方法的比较

利用针对牛轮状病毒（BRV）的普通PCR、实时荧光定量PCR（Real-time PCR）和环介导等温扩增技术（LAMP）三种核酸检测方法对不同质粒浓度的样品和417份临床疑似样品进行检测,比较三种核酸检测方法的检出结果。三种核酸检测方法中LAMP最敏感敏感,能检测到1拷贝/μL,Real-time PCR能检测到100拷贝/μL,普通PCR只能检测到1×104拷贝/μL。但结合临床样品检测表明：常规PCR方法敏感度低会造成一部分漏检,LAMP灵敏度高又会造成错检。综合比较三种方法后,推荐用LAMP结合real-time PCR,不仅节约成本,且结果更为准确可靠,可提高牛轮状病毒的检出率。     

牛附红细胞体LAMP检测方法的建立

为建立一种快捷、灵敏的牛附红细胞体检测方法,本研究根据GenBank上发表的16S rRNA基因(登录号:AF016546)序列设计合成2对LAMP特异引物,建立了检测牛附红细胞体环介导等温扩增(LAMP)方法,并优化了LAMP的各反应条件,进行了敏感性和特异性试验。LAMP扩增产物经电泳、显色鉴定。结果显示,LAMP方法扩增牛附红细胞体产物呈特征性梯状条带,显色反应呈现绿色荧光;敏感性检测最低浓度为25.6 fg/μL;特异性试验结果显示,牛附红细胞体检测管显色后呈阳性,而猪附红细胞体、牛新孢子虫、弓形虫及牛瑟氏泰勒虫等对照组均呈阴性,说明本研究建立的LAMP方法具有灵敏、特异、快速等优点,适合于牛附红细胞体的检测。     

快速检测双芽巴贝斯虫LAMP方法的建立

为提高双芽巴贝斯虫(Babesia bigemina)检出率,本研究采用环介导等温扩增技术(LAMP)建立一种快速、灵敏、特异的B.bigemina检测方法。根据GenBank上公布的Babesia bigemina细胞色素b(Cytochrome b,cyt b)基因序列,设计4条特异地识别B.bigemina的cyt b基因6个特殊区域的LAMP引物,优化反应体系和条件,在Bst DNA聚合酶的作用下,65 ℃反应60 min,加入SYBR Green Ⅰ后观察。结果表明,该LAMP检测方法特异性强,与牛巴贝斯虫(Babesia bovis)等DNA不发生交叉反应;敏感性高,对B.bigemina的cyt b基因最小检测值为0.085 fg/μL,是一般PCR方法的1000倍。该方法具有简单、快速、低成本的特点,可用于B.bigemina的基层现场快速检测。     

弓形虫环介导等温扩增快速检测方法的建立

为了建立弓形虫的快速检测方法,本研究建立了一种灵敏、特异、快速的分子生物学检测方法——环介导等温扩增技术(LAMP)。用10倍系列稀释的DNA样品对该检测方法的灵敏度进行了测试,同时通过对扩增产物做内切酶验证;为证明LAMP技术的特异性,对新孢子虫、附红细胞体、瑟氏泰勒虫等病原体进行检测。结果显示:利用LAMP技术成功检测到弓形虫基因区,此方法的灵敏度可达到能检测5个拷贝DNA分子水平,酶切分析结果正确,并且特异性强,对新孢子虫、附红细胞体、瑟氏泰勒虫等病原体检测均为阴性。说明LAMP技术可应用于弓形虫的快速检测。     

Real-time polymerase chain reaction assays for the detection of members of the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster

AIM: To develop real-time PCR assays for the detection and differentiation of members of the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster. METHODS: Five real-time PCR assays were designed to allow differentiation of members of the M. mycoides cluster: an assay for detection of the M. mycoides subspecies, viz M. mycoides subsp mycoides large colony (MmmLC), M. mycoides subsp capri (Mmc), and M. mycoides subsp mycoides small colony (MmmSC); one for the detection of the M. capricolum subspecies, viz M. capricolum subsp capricolum (Mcc), M. capricolum subsp capripneumoniae (Mccp), and Mycoplasma sp bovine group 7 (BG7); and three for the specific detection of MmmSC, Mccp, and BG7. A panel of 74 Mycoplasma isolates from various geographical origins and a panel of 21 other bacterial isolates were used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the assays. RESULTS: The assays displayed 100% analytical sensitivity in detecting all target Mycoplasma isolates. The analytical detection limit for the assays to detect the M. mycoides subspecies, M. capricolum subspecies, and MmmSC was determined to be 100 fg of genomic DNA, while the Mccp and BG7 assays had a detection limit of 100 fg and 10 fg of genomic DNA, respectively. The M. mycoides subspecies assay had a detection limit of 10(3) (SD 10(2)) cfu/ml milk, 10(4) (SD 10(4)) cfu per swab, and 10(3) (SD 10(3)) cfu/g lung in inoculated samples. The assays displayed 100% specificity when applied to non-target bacterial isolates and to 110 culture-negative milk samples. CONCLUSIONS: The assays were highly sensitive and specific, and provide accurate detection and differentiation of the members of the M. mycoides cluster.     

Comparison of seven nucleic acid amplification tests for detection of Taylorella equigenitalis

Taylorella equigenitalis causes contagious equine metritis. Here we compared seven nucleic acid amplification tests for T. equigenitalis to select a rapid and reliable diagnostic method. The 95% detection limits of each assay varied greatly: real-time PCR had the lowest detection limit (0.77 fg/reaction); those of some of the conventional PCRs (cPCRs) were >100 fg/reaction. In experimentally infected samples, real-time PCR and semi-nested PCR showed the highest positive numbers (33 out of 42 samples), but two of the cPCRs detected only 2 and 7 positive results. Our results indicate that the use of sensitive molecular assays is important for the efficient detection of T. equigenitalis in clinical samples.     

牛瑟氏泰勒虫二温式PCR快速检测技术的建立及初步应用

为建立一种牛瑟氏泰勒虫快速检测技术,根据GenBank上已发表的牛瑟氏泰勒虫P23表面蛋白基因序列(D84447)设计1对特异性引物,扩增出大小为244 bp的基因片段,经克隆、测序分析,与已知基因序列同源性为100%。用该对引物建立的牛瑟氏泰勒虫二温式PCR能检测出的最高敏感度为171 fg/μL,与牛新孢子虫、弓形虫和卵形巴贝斯虫不产生交叉反应,对48份临床血液样本进行检测,阳性检出率为66.67%。用同一对引物对28份临床血液样本分别进行二温式PCR和三温式PCR检测,阳性符合率为95%,总符合率为96.43%。结果表明,该方法具有快速、敏感、特异等优点,可用于牛瑟氏泰勒虫病的快速临床诊断及流行病学调查。     

羊泰勒虫不同PCR检测方法的比较

为寻求快速、有效检测羊泰勒虫的PCR方法,本试验建立了检测羊泰勒虫18SrRNA基因和表面蛋白基因的两种常规PCR方法和一种检测18SrRNA基因的半套式PCR方法,并从其敏感性和临床样本检出率等方面进行了比较。结果显示:上述方法检测羊泰勒虫基因组DNA的最小检测量分别为1.6fg/μL、16fg/μL和0.016fg/μL;检测临床样本阳性检出率分别为31.37%(16/51)、17.64%(9/51)和45.10%(23/51)。3种方法中,检测18SrRNA基因的半套式PCR方法敏感性和临床样本检出率最高,其次为检测18SrRNA基因的常规PCR方法,最后为检测表面蛋白基因的常规PCR方法。结果说明,所建立的半套式PCR方法是一种较好的羊泰勒虫检测方法。     

Soil contamination of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in pig farms in central China

Toxoplasmosis in pigs is a large threat to pig industry as well as pork consumers. Most pigs become infected by ingestion of oocysts from contaminated environment (soil, water and feed) or infected animal tissues postnatally. In the present study, field studies were conducted to evaluate the relationship between soil contamination status of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts and T. gondii infection in pigs in 12 pig farms with different density of cats in central China. The presence of T. gondii oocysts in soil were determined by PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). T. gondii DNA was found in 11 farms with different cat density excepting one farm exposed to low cat density. Twenty (21.1%) and 36 (37.9%) of 95 soil samples were T. gondii positive by PCR and LAMP, respectively (0.01相似文献   

猪弓形虫特异性PCR诊断方法的建立及应用

以猪弓形虫核糖体DNA第一内转录间隔区(ITS1)序列为模板自行设计引物,建立了猪弓形虫病特异PCR诊断方法,并从弓形虫国际标准强毒株RH速殖子和疑似T.gondii感染猪全血及肺脏组织样品基因组DNA中扩增出了预期长度273bp的目的DNA片段。敏感性和特异性试验结果显示,该PCR方法能检测到的最低DNA量为0.001ng,且与相关的9种对照寄生虫、细菌和病毒无交叉反应。用建立的PCR诊断方法对临床30份猪弓形虫疑似病料和60份健康猪抗凝全血样品进行检测,结果30份病料中有24份呈现阳性;60份健康猪血中有5份为阳性;随机取两个临床样品的阳性PCR扩增片段进行克隆测序表明,二者序列与Gen-Bank中已登录的猪弓形虫ITS1基因相应部分序列完全相同。以上表明所建立的PCR方法具有高度的敏感性和特异性;本研究为猪弓形虫病的快速诊断提供了一种新方法。