Rapid and sensitive detection of Listeria monocytogenes by cross-priming amplification of lmo0733 gene

Lateral Flow Assay for Hepatitis B Detection: A Review of Current and New Assays

From acute to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular cancer, hepatitis B infection causes a broad spectrum of liver diseases. Molecular and serological tests have been used to diagnose hepatitis B-related illnesses. Due to technology limitations, it is challenging to identify hepatitis B infection cases at an early stage, particularly in a low- and middle-income country with constrained resources. Generally, the gold-standard methods to detect hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection requires dedicated personnel, bulky, expensive equipment and reagents, and long processing times which delay the diagnosis of HBV. Thus, lateral flow assay (LFA), which is inexpensive, straightforward, portable, and operates reliably, has dominated point-of-care diagnostics. LFA consists of four parts: a sample pad where samples are dropped; a conjugate pad where labeled tags and biomarker components are combined; a nitrocellulose membrane with test and control lines for target DNA-probe DNA hybridization or antigen-antibody interaction; and a wicking pad where waste is stored. By modifying the pre-treatment during the sample preparation process or enhancing the signal of the biomarker probes on the membrane pad, the accuracy of the LFA for qualitative and quantitative analysis can be improved. In this review, we assembled the most recent developments in LFA technologies for the progress of hepatitis B infection detection. Prospects for ongoing development in this area are also covered.

Pathogenic and Virulence Factor Detection on Viable but Non-culturable Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Food safety and foodborne infections and diseases have been a leading hotspot in public health, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been recently documented to be an important foodborne pathogen, in addition to its recognition to be a leading clinical pathogen for some decades. Standard identification for MRSA has been commonly performed in both clinical settings and food routine detection; however, most of such so-called "standards," "guidelines," or "gold standards" are incapable of detecting viable but non-culturable (VBNC) cells. In this study, two major types of staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP), staphylococcal enterotoxins A (sea) and staphylococcal enterotoxins B (seb), as well as the panton-valentine leucocidin (pvl) genes, were selected to develop a cross-priming amplification (CPA) method. Limit of detection (LOD) of CPA for sea, seb, and pvl was 75, 107.5, and 85 ng/μl, indicating that the analytical sensitivity of CPA is significantly higher than that of conventional PCR. In addition, a rapid VBNC cells detection method, designated as PMA-CPA, was developed and further applied. PMA-CPA showed significant advantages when compared with PCR assays, in terms of rapidity, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Compared with conventional VBNC confirmation methods, the PMA-CPA showed 100% accordance, which had demonstrated that the PMA-CPA assays were capable of detecting different toxins in MRSA in VBNC state. In conclusion, three CPA assays were developed on three important toxins for MRSA, and in combination with PMA, the PMA-CPA assay was capable of detecting virulent gene expression in MRSA in the VBNC state. Also, the above assays were further applied to real samples. As concluded, the PMA-CPA assay developed in this study was capable of detecting MRSA toxins in the VBNC state, representing first time the detection of toxins in the VBNC state.

Direct Detection of Viable but Non-culturable (VBNC) Salmonella in Real Food System by a Rapid and Accurate PMA-CPA Technique

Salmonella enterica is a typical foodborne pathogen with multiple toxic effects, including invasiveness, endotoxins, and enterotoxins. Viable but nonculturable (VBNC) is a type of dormant form preserving the vitality of microorganisms, but it cannot be cultured by traditional laboratory techniques. The aim of this study is to develop a propidium monoazide-crossing priming amplification (PMA-CPA) method that can successfully detect S. enterica rapidly with high sensitivity and can identify VBNC cells in food samples. Five primers (4s, 5a, 2a/1s, 2a, and 3a) were specially designed for recognizing the specific invA gene. The specificity of the CPA assay was tested by 20 different bacterial strains, including 2 standard S. enterica and 18 non-S. enterica bacteria strains covering Gram-negative and Gram-positive isolates. Except for the two standard S. enterica ATCC14028 and ATCC29629, all strains showed negative results. Moreover, PMA-CPA can detect the VBNC cells both in pure culture and three types of food samples with significant color change. In conclusion, the PMA-CPA assay was successfully applied on detecting S. enterica in VBNC state from food samples.

Rapid detection of Babesia motasi responsible for human babesiosis by cross-priming amplification combined with a vertical flow

Background

Babesia motasi is known as an etiological agent of human and ovine babesiosis. Diagnosis of babesiosis is traditionally performed by microscopy, examining Giemsa-stained thin peripheral blood smears. Rapid detection and accurate identification of species are desirable for clinical care and epidemiological studies.

Methods

An easy to operate molecular method, which requires less capital equipment and incorporates cross-priming amplification combined with a vertical flow (CPA-VF) visualization strip for rapid detection and identification of B. motasi.

Results

The CPA-VF targets the 18S rRNA gene and has a detection limit of 50 fg per reaction; no cross reaction was observed with other piroplasms infective to sheep or Babesia infective to humans. CPA-VF and real-time (RT)-PCR had sensitivities of 95.2% (95% confidence interval, CI 78.1–99.4%) and 90.5% (95% CI 72–97.6%) and specificities of 95.8 (95% CI 80.5–99.5%) and 97.9 (95% CI 83.5–99.9%), respectively, versus microscopy and nested (n) PCR combined with gene sequencing. The clinical performance of the CPA-VF assay was evaluated with field blood samples from sheep (n = 340) in Jintai county, Gansu Province, and clinical specimens (n = 492) obtained from patients bitten by ticks.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that the CPA-VF is a rapid, accurate, nearly instrument-free molecular diagnostic approach for identification of B. motasi. Therefore, it could be an alternative technique for epidemiological investigations and diagnoses of ovine and/or human babesiosis caused by B. motasi, especially in resource-limited regions.

Detection and differential identification of typhoidal Salmonella using bacteriophages and resazurin

This study was aimed at developing an easy to use and inexpensive biosensor for the detection of typhoidal Salmonella. The technique was designed to be used without expensive instrumentation if necessary. Bacteriophages specifically infecting three typhoidal Salmonella serovars were isolated and purified. Log-phase cultures were mixed with a high titre of a single phage (10⁹ PFUs) in separate wells of a microtitre plate and incubated at room temperature (30 °C) for 1 h. After incubation, resazurin was added and the plates were incubated further for 1 h. Absorbance at 570 nm of each test well was measured using a commercial microplate reader and compared with that of the control well. A significant difference (p < 0.05) between the absorbance of test and control wells indicated the presence of target bacteria. With visual inspection, a delay in colour change from blue to pink was considered a positive result. The system could detect 5 × 10⁴ CFUs in 120 min without pre-enrichment and 10 CFUs with a pre-enrichment of 6 h.

Development and Application of a Simple "Easy To Operate" Propidium Monoazide-Crossing Priming Amplification on Detection of Viable and Viable But Non-culturable Cells of O157 Escherichia coli

O157 Escherichia coli is one of the most important foodborne pathogens causing disease even at low cellular numbers. Thus, the early and accurate detection of this pathogen is important. However, due to the formation of viable but non-culturable (VBNC) status, the golden standard culturing methodology fails to identify O157 E. coli once it enters VBNC status. Crossing priming amplification (CPA) is a novel, simple, easy-to-operate detection technology that amplifies DNA with high speed, efficiency, and specificity under isothermal conditions. The objective of this study was to firstly develop and apply a CPA assay with propidium monoazide (PMA) for the rapid detection of the foodborne E. coli O157:H7 in VBNC state. Five primers (2a/1s, 2a, 3a, 4s, and 5a) were specially designed for recognizing three targets, which were rfbE, stx1, and stx2, and evaluated for its effectiveness in detecting VBNC cell of E. coli O157:H7 with detection limits of pure VBNC culture at 10³, 10⁵, and 10⁵ colony-forming units (CFUs)/ml for rfbE, stx1, and stx2, respectively, whereas those of food samples (frozen pastry and steamed bread) were 10³, 10⁵, and 10⁵ CFUs/ml. The application of the PMA-CPA assay was successfully used on detecting E. coli O157:H7 in VBNC state from food samples. In conclusion, this is the first development of PMA-CPA assay on the detection of VBNC cell, which was found to be useful and a powerful tool for the rapid detection of E. coli O157:H7 in VBNC state. Undoubtedly, the PMA-CPA method can be of high value to the food industry owing to its various advantages such as speed, specificity, sensitivity, and cost-effectiveness.

First Report on the Rapid Detection and Identification of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Viable but Non-culturable (VBNC) Under Food Storage Conditions

Formation of viable but non-culturable (VBNC) status in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has never been reported, and it poses a significant concern for food safety. Thus, this study aimed to firstly develop a rapid, cost-effective, and efficient testing method to detect and differentiate MRSA strains in the VBNC state and further apply this in real food samples. Two targets were selected for detection of MRSA and toxin, and rapid isothermal amplification detection assays were developed based on cross-priming amplification methodology. VBNC formation was performed for MRSA strain in both pure culture and in artificially contaminated samples, then propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment was further conducted. Development, optimization, and evaluation of PMA-crossing priming amplification (CPA) were further performed on detection of MRSA in the VBNC state. Finally, application of PMA-CPA was further applied for detection on MRSA in the VBNC state in contaminated food samples. As concluded in this study, formation of the VBNC state in MRSA strains has been verified, then two PMA-CPA assays have been developed and applied to detect MRSA in the VBNC state from pure culture and food samples.

Establishment and Application of a Multiple Cross Displacement Amplification Coupled With Nanoparticle-Based Lateral Flow Biosensor Assay for Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) is responsible for pneumonia, and is a causative agent of other respiratory tract infections (e.g., bronchiolitis and tracheobronchitis). Herein, we established and applied a multiple cross displacement amplification (MCDA) coupled with a nanoparticle-based lateral flow biosensor (LFB) assay (MCDA–LFB) for rapid, simple, and reliable detection of target pathogen. A set of 10 primers was designed based on M. pneumoniae-specific P1 gene, and optimal reaction conditions were found to be 30 min at 65°C. The detection results were visually reported using a biosensor within 2 min. The M. pneumoniae–MCDA–LFB method specifically detected only M. pneumoniae templates, and no cross-reactivity was generated from non-M. pneumoniae isolates. The analytical sensitivity for this assay was 50 fg of genomic templates in the pure cultures, as obtained from colorimetric indicator and real-time turbidimeter analysis. The assay was applied to 197 oropharyngeal swab samples collected from children highly suspected of M. pneumoniae infection, and compared to culture-based method and real-time PCR assay. The detection rates of M. pneumoniae using a culture-based method, real-time PCR assay, and MCDA–LFB assay were 8.1%, 33.0%, and 52.3%, respectively, which indicated that the MCDA–LFB assay was superior to the culture-based method and real-time PCR method for detection of target agent. Using this protocol, 25 min for rapid template extraction followed by MCDA reaction (30 min) combined with LFB detection (2 min) resulted in a total assay time of ~60 min. In conclusion, the MCDA–LFB assay established in this report was a simple, rapid, sensitive, and reliable assay to detect M. pneumoniae strains, and can be used as a potential diagnostic tool for M. pneumoniae in basic and clinical laboratories.

Sensitive and rapid detection of Salmonella enterica serovar Indiana by cross-priming amplification

Salmonella enterica serovar Indiana (S. Indiana) was the most frequently reported foodborne pathogen, which has a broad host range including poultry, swine, and humans. Traditional methods used for the detection of S. Indiana from contaminated food products are time-consuming and labor-intensive. Therefore, rapid detection methods with high sensitivity and specificity are vitally important to prevent the spread of S. Indiana. In this study, we developed a nearly instrument-free, simple molecular method which incorporates cross-priming amplification (CPA) combined with a nucleic acid detection strip (NADS) for sensitive detection of S. Indiana. A set of CPA primers was designed based on S. Indiana specific nucleotide sequences and the specificity of CPA-NADS was tested against 42 bacterial strains. The results showed that this method was highly specific for detection of S. Indiana. The sensitivity of CPA-NADS was evaluated and compared with that of the serovar-specific PCR method and the real-time PCR method. The limit of detection of the CPA method was 8.997 fg/μL for genomic DNA and 6.2 × 10¹ CFU/mL for bacteria in pure culture. An application of the CPA assay was conducted with 90 inoculated specimens by S. Indiana. The accuracy of CPA-NADS was consistent with the results of the traditional culture-based methods in inoculated specimens. This method showed a higher sensitivity than the serovar-specific PCR method did and was more convenient to perform. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the CPA-NADS system offers high specificity, sensitivity, rapidity, and a simple detection tool for screening S. Indiana.

Detection and differentiation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus by multiplexed real-time PCR

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a common and important pathogen that causes human gastroenteritis worldwide. A rapid, sensitive, and specific assay is urgently required for detection and differentiation of V. parahaemolyticus strains. We designed three sets of primers and probes using groEL and two virulence genes (tdh and trh) from V. parahaemolyticus, and developed a multiplex real-time PCR protocol. The sensitivity and specificity of the multiplex assay was evaluated by environmental and clinical specimens of V. parahaemolyticus. The multiplex PCR response system and annealing temperature were optimized. The detection limits of the multiplex real-time PCR were 10⁴ and 10⁵ CFU/mL (or CFU/g) in pure cultures and spiked oysters, respectively. The multiplex real-time PCR specifically detected and differentiated V. parahaemolyticus from 35 Vibrio strains and 11 other bacterial strains. Moreover, this method can detect and distinguish virulent from nonvirulent strains, with no cross-reactivity observed in the bacteria tested. This newly established multiplex real-time PCR assay offers rapid, specific, and reliable detection of the total and pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus strains, which is very useful during outbreaks and sporadic cases caused by V. parahaemolyticus infection.

Nanoparticle-based lateral flow biosensor combined with multiple cross displacement amplification for rapid, visual and sensitive detection of Vibrio cholerae

Vibrio cholerae is an important human pathogen that is responsible for cholera, a severe acute watery diarrhea. In the current study, a multiple cross displacement amplification (MCDA) coupled with amplicon detection by chromatographic lateral flow biosensor (LFB) method (MCDA-LFB) was successfully established and evaluated for the identification of V. cholerae. A set of 10 primers was designed specifically to recognize 10 different regions of the V. cholerae-specific gene ompW. The optimized time and temperature conditions for the MCDA were 30 min and 63°C, respectively. The MCDA-LFB assay correctly identified 31 strains of V. cholerae but did not detect 13 non-cholerae Vibrio strains and 30 non-Vibrio strains. The sensitivity of MCDA-LFB for target pathogen detection in pure culture was 10 fg per reaction. In the case of spiked shrimp samples without enrichment, the limit of detection was 4.1 CFUs per reaction or equivalent to 4.1 × 102 CFU g-1. The whole process, including shrimp homogenates processing (30 min), MCDA reaction (30 min) and results reporting (2 min), could be finished within 65 min. These results show that this assay is suitable for the rapid, sensitive and specific detection of V. cholerae in food, environmental and clinical samples.

Development of multiple cross displacement amplification label-based gold nanoparticles lateral flow biosensor for detection of Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes, one of most problematic foodborne pathogens, is responsible for listeriosis in both humans and animals and mainly transmitted through the food chain. In this report, we propose a simple, rapid, and nearly instrument-free molecular technique using multiple cross displacement amplification (MCDA) label-based gold nanoparticles lateral flow biosensor (LFB) for specific, sensitive, and visual detection of L. monocytogenes. The MCDA-LFB method was carried out at a constant temperature (61°C) for only 20 min during the reaction stage, and then the amplification mixtures were directly detected by using LFB, eliminating the use of an electrophoresis instrument, special reagents, or amplicon analysis equipment. The whole procedure, from sample processing to result indicating, was finished within 1 h. The analytical specificity of MCDA-LFB method was successfully determined by distinguishing the target bacterium from other pathogens. The analytical sensitivity of the MCDA-LFB assay was 10 fg of genomic templates per reaction in pure culture, which was in complete accordance with MCDA by gel electrophoresis, real-time turbidity, and colorimetric indicator. The assay was also successfully applied to detecting L. monocytogenes in pork samples. Therefore, the rapidity, simplicity, and nearly equipment-free platform of the MCDA-LFB technique make it possible for food control, clinical diagnosis, and more. The proof-of-concept assay can be reconfigured to detect various target sequences by redesigning the specific MCDA primers.

Rapid and sensitive detection of Plesiomonas shigelloides by cross‑priming amplification of the hugA gene

Plesiomonas shigelloides (P. shigelloides) is implicated as an aetiological agent of human gastroenteritis in humans, for which reliable laboratory detection of P. shigelloides is clinically and epidemiologically desirable. A simple molecular method for rapid detection of P. shigelloides using cross-priming amplification (CPA) has been developed, with hugA as the target. The hugA gene is required for haem iron utilisation and is critical for the survival and growth of P. shigelloides. The assay output was visualised as a colour change with no need to open the reaction tubes, and no false-positive results were detected for the 33 non- P. shigelloides strains examined to assess assay specificity. The limit of detection was 200 fg P. shigelloides DNA per reaction and 3×10³ CFU per g in human stools, which was 100 and 10-fold more sensitive than polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The CPA method was used to detect the presence of P. shigelloides in stool specimens from 70 patients with diarrhoea and 30 environmental water samples, with no difference in accuracy between the CPA assay and the biological culture. The present study, therefore, suggests that the P. shigelloides hugA CPA assay may represent a valuable tool for rapid and sensitive detection of P. shigelloides in primary care facilities and clinical laboratories.

Multiplex, Rapid, and Sensitive Isothermal Detection of Nucleic-Acid Sequence by Endonuclease Restriction-Mediated Real-Time Multiple Cross Displacement Amplification

We have devised a novel isothermal amplification technology, termed endonuclease restriction-mediated real-time multiple cross displacement amplification (ET-MCDA), which facilitated multiplex, rapid, specific and sensitive detection of nucleic-acid sequences at a constant temperature. The ET-MCDA integrated multiple cross displacement amplification strategy, restriction endonuclease cleavage and real-time fluorescence detection technique. In the ET-MCDA system, the functional cross primer E-CP1 or E-CP2 was constructed by adding a short sequence at the 5′ end of CP1 or CP2, respectively, and the new E-CP1 or E-CP2 primer was labeled at the 5′ end with a fluorophore and in the middle with a dark quencher. The restriction endonuclease Nb.BsrDI specifically recognized the short sequence and digested the newly synthesized double-stranded terminal sequences (5′ end short sequences and their complementary sequences), which released the quenching, resulting on a gain of fluorescence signal. Thus, the ET-MCDA allowed real-time detection of single or multiple targets in only a single reaction, and the positive results were observed in as short as 12 min, detecting down to 3.125 fg of genomic DNA per tube. Moreover, the analytical specificity and the practical application of the ET-MCDA were also successfully evaluated in this study. Here, we provided the details on the novel ET-MCDA technique and expounded the basic ET-MCDA amplification mechanism.

Multiple Endonuclease Restriction Real-Time Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification: A Novel Analytically Rapid, Sensitive, Multiplex Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Detection Technique

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is restricted to detecting a single target, limiting the usefulness of this method. To achieve multiplex LAMP-based detection, we developed a novel approach we called the multiple endonuclease restriction real-time-LAMP assay. In this system, the LAMP forward or backward inner primers contain 5' end short sequences that are recognized by the restriction endonuclease Nb.BsrDI, and the new forward or backward inner primers were modified at the 5' end with a fluorophore and in the middle with a dark quencher. Nb.BsrDI digests the newly synthesized double-stranded terminal sequences (5' end short sequences and their complementary sequences), which releases the quenching, resulting in a gain of signal. The assay permitted real-time detection of single or multiple target sequences in a single tube, and the positive results can be obtained in as short as 12 minutes. The novel methodology is highly efficient and specific, detecting down to 250 fg of DNA per reaction of Listeria DNA tested, and was successful in evaluating raw meat samples. The multiple endonuclease restriction real-time-LAMP technology, which is an extension of LAMP to accommodate robust, target-specific, and multiplex detection, provides a molecular diagnostic tool with less detection time and high sensitivity and specificity compared with those of LAMP and quantitative real-time PCR.

Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus by Multiple Endonuclease Restriction Real-Time Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Technique

Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus are two marine seafood-borne pathogens causing severe illnesses in humans and aquatic animals. In this study, a recently developed novel multiple endonuclease restriction real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification technology (MERT-LAMP) were successfully developed and evaluated for simultaneous detection of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus strains in only a single reaction. Two MERT-LAMP primer sets were designed to specifically target toxR gene of V. parahaemolyticus and rpoS gene of V. vulnificus. The MERT-LAMP reactions were conducted at 62 °C, and the positive results were produced in as short as 19 min with the genomic DNA templates extracted from the V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus strains. The two target pathogens present in the same sample could be simultaneously detected and correctly differentiated based on distinct fluorescence curves in a real-time format. The sensitivity of MERT-LAMP assay was 250 fg and 125 fg DNA per reaction with genomic templates of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus strains, which was in conformity with conventional LAMP detection. Compared with PCR-based techniques, the MERT-LAMP technology was 100- and 10-fold more sensitive than that of PCR and qPCR methods. Moreover, the limit of detection of MERT-LAMP approach for V. parahaemolyticus isolates and V. vulnificus isolates detection in artificially-contaminated oyster samples was 92 CFU and 83 CFU per reaction. In conclusion, the MERT-LAMP assay presented here was a rapid, specific, and sensitive tool for the detection of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus, and could be adopted for simultaneous screening of V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus in a wide variety of samples.

The Novel Multiple Inner Primers-Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (MIP-LAMP) for Rapid Detection and Differentiation of Listeria monocytogenes

Here, a novel model of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), termed multiple inner primers-LAMP (MIP-LAMP), was devised and successfully applied to detect Listeria monocytogenes. A set of 10 specific MIP-LAMP primers, which recognized 14 different regions of target gene, was designed to target a sequence in the hlyA gene. The MIP-LAMP assay efficiently amplified the target element within 35 min at 63 °C and was evaluated for sensitivity and specificity. The templates were specially amplified in the presence of the genomic DNA from L. monocytogenes. The limit of detection (LoD) of MIP-LAMP assay was 62.5 fg/reaction using purified L. monocytogenes DNA. The LoD for DNA isolated from serial dilutions of L. monocytogenes cells in buffer and in milk corresponded to 2.4 CFU and 24 CFU, respectively. The amplified products were analyzed by real-time monitoring of changes in turbidity, and visualized by adding Loop Fluorescent Detection Reagent (FD), or as a ladder-like banding pattern on gel electrophoresis. A total of 48 pork samples were investigated for L. monocytogenes by the novel MIP-LAMP method, and the diagnostic accuracy was shown to be 100% when compared to the culture-biotechnical method. In conclusion, the MIP-LAMP methodology was demonstrated to be a reliable, sensitive and specific tool for rapid detection of L. monocytogenes strains.

Detection of Yersinia enterocolitica in milk powders by cross-priming amplification combined with immunoblotting analysis

Yersinia enterocolitica (Y. enterocolitica) is frequently isolated from a wide variety of foods and can cause human yersiniosis. Biochemical and culture-based assays are common detection methods, but require a long incubation time and easily misidentify Y. enterocolitica as other non-pathogenic Yersinia species. Alternatively, cross-priming amplification (CPA) under isothermal conditions combined with immunoblotting analysis enables a more sensitive detection in a relatively short time period. A set of specific displacement primers, cross primers and testing primers was designed on the basis of six specific sequences in Y. enterocolitica 16S-23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer. Under isothermal condition, amplification and hybridization were conducted simultaneously at 63°C for 60 min. The specificity of CPA was tested for 96 different bacterial strains and 165 commercial milk powder samples. Two red lines were developed on BioHelix Express strip for all of the Y. enterocolitica strains, and one red line was shown for non-Y. enterocolitica strains. The limit of detection of CPA was 10(0)fg for genomic DNA (1000 times more sensitive than PCR assay), 10(1) CFU/ml for pure bacterial culture, and 10(0) CFU per 100 g milk powder with pre-enrichment at 37°C for 24 h. CPA combined with immunoblotting analysis can achieve highly specific and sensitive detection of Y. enterocolitica in milk powder in 90 min after pre-enrichment.

Rapid and Sensitive Isothermal Detection of Nucleic-acid Sequence by Multiple Cross Displacement Amplification

We have devised a novel amplification strategy based on isothermal strand-displacement polymerization reaction, which was termed multiple cross displacement amplification (MCDA). The approach employed a set of ten specially designed primers spanning ten distinct regions of target sequence and was preceded at a constant temperature (61-65 °C). At the assay temperature, the double-stranded DNAs were at dynamic reaction environment of primer-template hybrid, thus the high concentration of primers annealed to the template strands without a denaturing step to initiate the synthesis. For the subsequent isothermal amplification step, a series of primer binding and extension events yielded several single-stranded DNAs and single-stranded single stem-loop DNA structures. Then, these DNA products enabled the strand-displacement reaction to enter into the exponential amplification. Three mainstream methods, including colorimetric indicators, agarose gel electrophoresis and real-time turbidity, were selected for monitoring the MCDA reaction. Moreover, the practical application of the MCDA assay was successfully evaluated by detecting the target pathogen nucleic acid in pork samples, which offered advantages on quick results, modest equipment requirements, easiness in operation, and high specificity and sensitivity. Here we expounded the basic MCDA mechanism and also provided details on an alternative (Single-MCDA assay, S-MCDA) to MCDA technique.

Development of cross-priming amplification assays for rapid and sensitive detection of Aeromonas hydrophila

Aeromonas hydrophila has been increasingly implicated as the aetiologic agent of various human diseases. Therefore, reliable laboratory detection and identification of this bacterium has become clinically and epidemiologically desirable. We developed a nearly instrument-free, simple molecular method for rapid detection of Aer. hydrophila using a cross-priming amplification (CPA) assay with the desA gene as the target. The desA gene is crucial for the survival and growth of Aer. hydrophila under iron starvation. The results can be visualized as colour changes without opening the reaction tubes. No false-positive results were observed for the 33 non-Aer. hydrophila strains tested to evaluate assay specificity. The limit of detection for Aer. hydrophila was approximately 200 copies of desA per reaction (on reference plasmids) and 5 × 10(3)  CFU g(-1) Aer. hydrophila in simulated human stool, which is the same sensitivity as a qPCR assay. The performance of the CPA assay was also evaluated with 100 stool specimens from diarrhoea patients and 40 environmental water samples. In conclusion, the simplicity, cost-effectiveness and nearly instrument-free platform of the CPA assay make it practical for use in primary care facilities and smaller clinical laboratories.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Aeromonas hydrophila is a human pathogen that infects via exposed wounds or ingestion of contaminated water and food. In this study, a CPA-based PCR method was developed for specific, rapid, cost-effective detection of Aer. hydrophila, and the test results could be visualized without opening the reaction tubes. This is the first report on the application of the CPA method for the detection of Aer. hydrophila. This novel method could be practical for use in primary care facilities and smaller clinical laboratories.