Bhardwaj P, Yadav V, Sharma A, Gulafshan S, Pragnya Behera S, Raj Dwivedi G, Deval H, Paluru V, Murhekar M, Singh R. Integration of IgM ELISA and 56 kDa gene PCR in management of pediatric acute encephalitis syndrome associated with scrub typhus.
Infect Dis Now 2024;
54:104865. [PMID:
38350558 DOI:
10.1016/j.idnow.2024.104865]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To identify the potential target genes for detection of Orientia tsutsugamushi (OT) in pediatric acute encephalitis syndrome (pAES).
METHODS
DNA was extracted from whole blood of 100 pAES cases having tested positive (n = 41) and negative (n = 59) for scrub typhus (ST) by IgM ELISA. These samples were subjected to standard PCR for 56 kDa, 47 kDa, 16 s rRNA, groEL, traD genes and the newly identified 27 kDa gene.
RESULTS
Among the selected gene targets, 56 kDa demonstrated its superiority for OT detection over the other tested genes. The presence of OT was confirmed via PCR targeting 56 kDa gene in 17 out of the 41 (41.4 %) IgM-positive ST AES cases and 38 out of the 59 (64.4 %) ST IgM negative cases. None of the other gene targets were amplified.
CONCLUSION
Integration of serological diagnosis with molecular diagnostics targeting the 56 kDa gene for routine testing of AES patients would facilitate detection of OT in AES endemic regions.
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