Angie-LAMP for diagnosis of human eosinophilic meningitis using dog as proxy: A LAMP assay for Angiostrongylus cantonensis DNA in cerebrospinal fluid

0572378 - BC 2024 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Baláž, Vojtěch - Rivory, P. - Hayward, D. - Jaensch, S. - Malik, R. - Lee, R. - Modrý, David - Šlapeta, J.
Angie-LAMP for diagnosis of human eosinophilic meningitis using dog as proxy: A LAMP assay for Angiostrongylus cantonensis DNA in cerebrospinal fluid.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Roč. 17, č. 5 (2023), č. článku e0011038. ISSN 1935-2735. E-ISSN 1935-2735
Institutional support: RVO:60077344
Keywords : Angie-LAMP * eosinophilic meningitis * Angiostrongylus cantonensis
OECD category: Infectious Diseases
Impact factor: 3.8, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Open access
https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0011038

Author summaryA potentially fatal disease, neuroangiostrongyliasis, is caused by the rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis). The parasite migrates into the spinal cord and brain of accidental hosts, such as humans and dogs, after ingestion of infective larvae, for example by eating snails in garden fruit or vegetables. Recently, an ultrasensitive molecular assay which can detect tiny fragments of the parasite's DNA was developed and has been used to establish a diagnosis. Although this assay outperforms previously developed assays, it requires clean DNA with specialised equipment in a laboratory setting. There is an urgent need for an alternative diagnostic method which is sensitive and portable, for deployment in the field and in the hospitals in remote areas or in low-income countries. The authors developed a fast and portable loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay that compares favourably to the ultra-sensitive PCR assay when tested using cerebrospinal fluid from dogs on the Australian east coast with presumptive neuroangiostrongyliasis. Considering a 'One Health' approach to diagnostics, this assay enables portable emergency diagnostics equally suitable to humans, dogs and wildlife. The newly developed assay will also enable water supplies to be screened, as well as crustaceans and molluscs used as potential food sources, for presence of the parasite.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0343701