Polymerase chain reaction combined with fluorescent lateral flow immunoassay based on magnetic purification for rapid detection of canine parvovirus 2

The surface modification of the silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles and their application in molecular diagnostics of virus infection

The study presents a series of examples of magnetic nanoparticle systems designed for the diagnosis of viral diseases. In this interdisciplinary work, we describe one of the most comprehensive synthetic approaches for the preparation and functionalization of smart nanoparticle systems for rapid and effective RT-PCR diagnostics and isolation of viral RNA. Twelve different organic ligands and inorganic porous silica were used for surface functionalization of the Fe3O4 magnetic core to increase the number of active centres for efficient RNA binding from human swab samples. Different nanoparticle systems with common beads were characterized by HRTEM, SEM, FT-IR, XRD, XPS and magnetic measurements. We demonstrate the application of the fundamental models modified to fit the experimental zero-field cooling magnetization data. We discuss the influence of the nanoparticle shell parameters (morphology, thickness, ligands) on the overall magnetic performance of the systems. The prepared nanoparticles were tested for the isolation of viral RNA from tissue samples infected with hepatitis E virus-HEV and from biofluid samples of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients. The efficiency of RNA isolation was quantified by RT-qPCR method.

Accelerated Development of a COVID-19 Lateral Flow Test in an Academic Setting: Lessons Learned

The COVID-19 pandemic further demonstrated the need for usable, reliable, and cost-effective point-of-care diagnostics that can be broadly deployed, ideally for self-testing at home. Antigen tests using more-detectable reporter labels (usually at the cost of reader complexity) achieve better diagnostic sensitivity, supporting the value of higher-analytical-sensitivity reporter technologies in lateral flow.We developed a new approach to simple, inexpensive lateral flow assays (LFAs) of great sensitivity, based on the glow stick peroxyoxalate chemistry widely used in emergency settings and in children's toys. At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had the opportunity to participate in the pandemic-driven NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative aiming to develop a deployable lateral flow diagnostic for SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein based on our novel glow stick-inspired light-emitting reporter technology. During this project, we screened more than 250 antibody pairs for analytical sensitivity and specificity directly in LFA format, using recombinant nucleoprotein and then gamma-irradiated virions spiked into negative nasal swab extracts. Membranes and other LFA materials and swabs and extraction reagent components also were screened and selected. Optimization of conjugate preparation and spraying as well as pretreatment/conditioning of the sample pad led to the final optimized LFA strip. Technology development also included optimization of excitation liquid enclosed in disposable droppers, design of a custom cartridge and smartphone-based reader, and app development, even a prototype reader usable with any mobile phone. Excellent preclinical performance was first demonstrated with contrived samples and then with leftover clinical samples. Moving beyond traditional academic focus areas, we were able to establish a quality management system (QMS), produce large numbers of customized LFA cassettes by contract injection molding, build in-house facilities to assemble and store thousands of complete tests for verification and validation and usability studies, and source kitting/packaging services and quality standard reagents and build partnerships for clinical translation, regulatory guidance, scale up, and market deployment. We were not able to bring this early stage technology to the point of commercialization within the limited time and resources available, but we did achieve strong proof-of-concept and advance translational aspects of the platform including initial high-performance LFAs, reading by the iPhone app using only a $2 plastic dark box with no lens, and convenient, usable excitation liquid packaging in droppers manufacturable in very large numbers.In this Account, we aim to provide a concise overview of our 18-month sprint toward the practical development of a deployable antigen lateral flow assay under pandemic conditions and the challenges and successes experienced by our team. We highlight what it takes to coach a technically savvy but commercially inexperienced academic team through the accelerated translation of an early stage technology into a useful product. Finally, we provide a guided tutorial and workflow to empower others interested in the rapid development of translatable LFAs.

Glowstick-inspired smartphone-readable reporters for sensitive, multiplexed lateral flow immunoassays

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for point-of-care (POC) screening tests such as lateral flow assays (LFAs) and highlighted the need for sensitive and cost-effective POC diagnostic platforms. Here, we demonstrate an LFA platform using standard fluorescent nanoparticle reporters in which optical excitation is replaced by chemical excitation using the peroxyoxalate-based chemistry of inexpensive, shelf-stable glowsticks. The one-step chemi-excitation of fluorescent particles produces visible light readable by an unmodified smartphone, enhancing sensitivity while preserving simplicity and cost-effectiveness. Our Glow LFA detected the common model analyte human chorionic gonadotropin with a limit of detection (LoD) of 39 pg/mL-over ten times more sensitive than standard gold nanoparticles using the same antibodies. We also demonstrate its application to the detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein at 100 pg/mL in nasal swab extract. Multiple fluorescent dyes can be chemi-excited by a single reagent, allowing for color multiplexing on a single LFA strip with a smartphone camera. The detection of three analytes on a single LFA test line was demonstrated using red, green, and blue fluorescent reporter particles, making glow LFA a promising platform for multiplexed detection.

Establishment of a multiplex polymerase chain reaction detection assay for three common harmful microalgae in the East China Sea

It is urgent to develop techniques that can simultaneously detect multiple microalgae, due to the diversity of harmful algal blooms (HABs)-forming algal species. The target algae species in this study are Heterosigma akashiwo, Prorocentrum donghaiense and Karenia mikimotoi. These algae are the dominant species that cause HABs in the East China Sea, and the multiple detection technique focusing on these three algae is not common. Therefore, this study established a multiplex polymerase chain reaction(mPCR) to diagnose the three algae, which is simple and low cost. First, the corresponding specific primers were designed based on the D1-D2 region of the large subunit (LSU) ribosomal DNA sequence. Then, mPCR was established and the reaction conditions were optimized. And the specificity, sensitivity, and stability of mPCR were evaluated. The result of specificity test showed that the established mPCR had good specificity for the target microalgae and did not cross-react with eighteen non-target microalgae. The sensitivity of experiment was 3.3 × 10^-1 ng μL^-1, and the established mPCR was not affected by the interfering microalgae. Moreover, the practicability evaluation of mPCR by using the simulated natural water samples showed that the detection limit of target microalgae was 100 cells mL^-1, which could meet the demand for early warning of HABs. In summary, the established mPCR is characterized by strong specificity, good stability, and multiple analysis to detect H. akashiwo, P. donghaiense, and K. mikimotoi.

Rapid quantitative detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae in infants with severe infection disease by point-of-care immunochromatographic technique based on nanofluorescent microspheres

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP, K. pneumoniae) is one of the most important nosocomial pathogens that cause severe respiratory infections. As evolutionary high-toxic strains with drug resistance genes increase year by year, the infections caused by it are often accompanied by high mortality, which may be fatal to infants and can cause invasive infections in healthy adults. At present, the traditional clinical methods for detecting K. pneumoniae are cumbersome and time-consuming, and the accuracy and sensitivity are not high. In this study, nanofluorescent microsphere (nFM)-based immunochromatographic test strip (ICTS) quantitative testing platform were developed for point-of-care testing (POCT) method of K. pneumoniae. Methods: 19 clinical samples of infants were collected, the genus-specific gene of mdh was screened from K. pneumoniae. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with nFM-ICTS based on magnetic purification assay (PCR-ICTS) and strand exchange amplification (SEA) combined with nFM-ICTS based on magnetic purification assay (SEA-ICTS) were developed for the quantitative detection of K. pneumoniae. The sensitivity and specificity of SEA-ICTS and PCR-ICTS were demonstrated by the existing used classical microbiological methods, the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RTFQ-PCR) and PCR assay based on agarose gel electrophoresis (PCR-GE). Results: Under optimum working conditions, the detection limits of PCR-GE, RTFQ-PCR, PCR-ICTS and SEA-ICTS are 7.7 × 10^-3, 2.5 × 10^-6, 7.7 × 10^-6, 2.82 × 10^-7 ng/μL, respectively. The SEA-ICTS and PCR-ICTS assays can quickly identify K. pneumoniae, and could specifically distinguish K. pneumoniae samples from non-K. pneumoniae samples. Experiments have shown a diagnostic agreement of 100% between immunochromatographic test strip methods and the traditional clinical methods on the detection of clinical samples. During the purification process, the Silicon coated magnetic nanoparticles (Si-MNPs) were used to removed false positive results effectively from the products, which showed of great screening ability. The SEA-ICTS method was developed based on PCR-ICTS, which is a more rapid (20 min), low-costed method compared with PCR-ICTS assay for the detection of K. pneumoniae in infants. Only need a cheap thermostatic water bath and takes a short detection time, this new method can potentially serve as an efficient point-of-care testing method for on-site detection of pathogens and disease outbreaks without fluorescent polymerase chain reaction instruments and professional technicians operation.

Nanoparticle-Based Visual Detection of Amplified DNA for Diagnosis of Hepatitis C Virus

Rapid, simple, and inexpensive diagnostic point-of-care tests (POCTs) are essential for controlling infectious diseases in resource-limited settings. In this study, we developed a new detection system based on nanoparticle–DNA aggregation (STat aggregation of tagged DNA, STAT-DNA) to yield a visual change that can be easily detected by the naked eye. This simplified optical detection system was applied to detect hepatitis C virus (HCV). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed using primers labeled with biotin and digoxigenin. Streptavidin-coated magnetic particles (1 μm) and anti-digoxigenin antibody-coated polystyrene particles (250–350 nm) were added to form aggregates. The limit of detection (LoD) and analytical specificity were analyzed. The STAT-DNA results were compared with those of the standard real-time PCR assay using serum samples from 54 patients with hepatitis C. We achieved visualization of amplified DNA with the naked eye by adding nanoparticles to the PCR mixture without employing centrifugal force, probe addition, incubation, or dilution. The LoD of STAT-DNA was at least 10¹ IU/mL. STAT-DNA did not show cross-reactivity with eight viral pathogens. The detection using STAT-DNA was consistent with that using standard real-time PCR.

Facile, Rapid, and Low-Cost Detection for Influenza Viruses and Respiratory Syncytial Virus Based on a Catalytic DNA Assembly Circuit

Influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have contributed to severe respiratory infections, causing huge economic and healthcare burdens. To achieve rapid and precise detection of influenza viruses and RSV, we proposed a catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) combined with the lateral flow immunoassay (CHA-LFIA) detection method. The presence of the target RNA triggers the initiation of CHA circuits. H1/H2 complexes, the amplified signal products, which were labeled with digoxin and biotin, were detected with a highly sensitive lateral flow immunoassay system. The sensitivity of the CHA-LFIA system to influenza A and B viruses and RSV reached up to 1, 1, and 5 pM, respectively. In addition, this method exhibited excellent capability for differentiating between target RNA and base-mismatched RNA. The results demonstrated that an enzyme-free, rapid, highly sensitive, and specific method had been developed to detect influenza A and B viruses and RSV.

Contribution of magnetic particles in molecular diagnosis of human viruses

Viral diseases are the primary source of death, making a worldwide influence on healthcare, social, and economic development. Thus, diagnosis is the vital approach to the main aim of virus control and elimination. On the other hand, the prompt advancement of nanotechnology in the field of medicine possesses the probability of being beneficial to diagnose infections normally in labs as well as specifically. Nanoparticles are efficiently in use to make novel strategies because of permitting analysis at cellular in addition to the molecular scale. Henceforth, they assist towards pronounced progress concerning molecular analysis at the nanoscale. In recent times, magnetic nanoparticles conjugated through covalent bonds to bioanalytes for instance peptides, antibodies, nucleic acids, plus proteins are established like nanoprobes aimed at molecular recognition. These modified magnetic nanoparticles could offer a simple fast approach for extraction, purification, enrichment/concentration, besides viruses' recognition precisely also specifically. In consideration of the above, herein insight and outlook into the limitations of conventional methods and numerous roles played by magnetic nanoparticles to extract, purify, concentrate, and additionally in developing a diagnostic regime for viral outbreaks to combat viruses especially the ongoing novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Hapten-labeled fusion-polymerase chain reaction of multiple marker genes for the application of immunochromatographic test

A variety of methods have been reported using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based nucleic acid testing (NAT) because of its potential to be used in highly sensitive inspection systems. Among these NATs, fusion-PCR (also called as overlap-extension-PCR) has been focused on this study and adopted to generate the fused amplicon composed of plural marker gene fragments for detection. Generally, conventional agarose gel electrophoresis followed by gel staining is employed to check the PCR results. However, these are time-consuming processes that use specific equipment. To overcome these disadvantages, the immunochromatographic test (ICT) for the detection of PCR amplicons with hapten-labels that were generated by PCR using hapten-labeled primers was also adopted in this study. Based on these concepts, we constructed the systems of hapten-labeled fusion-PCR (HL-FuPCR) followed by ICT (HL-FuPCR-ICT) for the two and three marker genes derived from pathogenic microbe. As a result, we successfully developed a two marker genes system for the pathogenic influenza A virus and a three marker genes system for the penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae. These detection systems of HL-FuPCR-ICT are characterized by simple handling and rapid detection within few minutes, and also showed the results as clear lines. Thus, the HL-FuPCR-ICT system introduced in this study has potential for use as a user-friendly inspection tool with the advantages especially in the detection of specific strains or groups expressing the characteristic phenotype(s) such as antibiotic resistance and/or high pathogenicity even in the same species.

Canine parvovirology - A brief updated review on structural biology, occurrence, pathogenesis, clinical diagnosis, treatment and prevention

Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a major cause of hemorrhagic diarrhea and mortality in puppies worldwide. There are 2 types of Parvovirus which affects canines: Canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) and Canine parvovirus 1 (CPV-1) or the Minute Virus of Canine (MVC). CPV-2 originated from Feline panleukopenia virus and has undergone genetic variation to give rise to its three variants (CPV-2a, CPV-2b and CPV-2c). Amino acid substitutions in VP2 capsid protein have led virus to adapt new host range. The original CPV-2 was known to be dominant in Japan, Belgium, Australia as well as USA and later circulated throughout the world. Clinically, CPV-2 infection is characterized by anorexia, lethargy, depression, vomiting, leukopenia and severe hemorrhagic diarrhea. Several diagnostic tests have been developed to detect parvoviral infections which are categorized into immunological tests (latex agglutination test, SIT-SAT and ELISA etc.) and molecular based tests (PCR, mPCR and RT-PCR etc.). To control and manage the disease several treatments like fluid therapies, antibiotics, and adjunctive treatments are available and some are in various stages of development. Apart from this, many vaccines are also commercially available and some are in developmental stages. The present review contains detailed information regarding structural biology, occurrence, pathogenesis, clinical diagnosis, treatments and prevention in order to understand the need and the growing importance of CPV-2.

PCR combined with lateral flow immunochromatographic assay to differentiate the narcotic Mitragyna speciosa from related species and detect it in forensic evidence

Plants in the genus Mitragyna (Rubiaceae) are used in traditional medicine because of their broad therapeutic activity. Four Mitragyna species, M. speciosa (Roxb.) Korth. (MS), M. rotundifolia (Roxb.) Kuntze (MR), M. diversifolia (Wall. ex G. Don) Havil. (MD), and M. hirsuta Havil. (MH), occur in Thailand. M. speciosa, commonly known as 'Kratom' in Thai, is the only narcotic species for which buying, selling, importing or possessing has been prohibited by law in Thailand and some other countries. Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, the major psychoactive compounds, are important in the treatment of opioid withdrawal. However, this species is used in traditional medicine to relieve pain and inflammation. Consequently, a rapid and easy technique for differentiating M. speciosa from closely related species is needed for routine forensic analysis. In this study, polymerase chain reaction coupled with lateral flow immunochromatographic assay (PCR-LFA) based on matK was developed for the detection of M. speciosa in forensic specimens. Duplex primers (MS-F-FAM, Ctrl-F-DIG and Ctrl-R-Biotin) were designed based on species-specific nucleotide indels observed exclusively in the matK sequences of M. speciosa. Positive results for M. speciosa are indicated by the clear presence of three black lines on the lateral flow cassette. Forensic samples were investigated, and the three black test lines indicating M. speciosa were observed for seven of eight specimens. PCR-LFA has been proven to be fast, easy and efficient for detecting the narcotic M. speciosa and could be developed as a rapid forensic diagnostic technique for other plants.

Development of a PCR-lateral flow assay for rapid detection of Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague

Plague is a zoonotic disease caused by Yersinia pestis, a Gram-negative, rod shaped coccobacillus, which is primarily found in rodents and can be transmitted to humans through flea bite. The disease has three major clinical forms bubonic (by flea bite), pneumonic (by respiratory droplets) and septicemic plague. Y. pestis is classified as a category 'A' agent by NIAID, USA due to its high mortality and easy person to person dissemination. The conventional diagnostic methods available for Y. pestis show cross-reactivity with other enteropathogenic bacteria making its detection difficult. There is a need to develop sensitive and specific molecular assay for accurate detection of Y. pestis. PCR is well suited molecular biology tool for rapid diagnosis of plague but after completion of thermal cycling steps, it requires additional time to analyze amplified product using agarose gel electrophoresis. In the present study, PCR assay coupled with lateral flow strips has been developed for rapid detection of Y. pestis. Lateral flow strips give an alternative to gel electrophoresis and permit easy and rapid detection of PCR products. The PCR was performed with 5' 6-FAM and biotin tagged primers specific for Y. pestis, targeting yihN gene located on chromosome. The PCR product was analyzed using lateral flow strips which yielded result within 2-3 minutes. The analytical sensitivity of PCR-lateral flow (PCR-LF) assay was 1 pg genomic DNA of Y. pestis and 500 copies of target DNA sequence harboured in a recombinant plasmid. The assay could detect Y. pestis DNA extracted from spiked human blood samples containing ≥10⁴ CFU per mL of bacteria. The assay was found to be specific and did not cross react with other closely related bacterial species. The developed assay was highly specific, sensitive and also did not require agarose gel electrophoresis for post amplification analysis.

Development of a PCR Lateral Flow Assay for Rapid Detection of Bacillus anthracis, the Causative Agent of Anthrax

Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax is one of the most potent listed biological warfare agents. The conventional microbiological methods of its detection are labor intensive and time consuming, whereas molecular assays are fast, sensitive and specific. PCR is one of the most reliable diagnostic tools in molecular biology. The combination of PCR with lateral flow strips can reduce the diagnostic/detection time. It gives an alternative to gel electrophoresis and offers easy and clear interpretation of results. In the present study, a PCR Lateral flow (PCR-LF) assay targeting cya gene present on pXO1 plasmid of B. anthracis has been developed. The forward and reverse primers were tagged with 6-carboxyflourescein (6-FAM) and biotin, respectively, at 5' end. The dual labeled PCR products were detected using lateral flow (LF) strips developed in this study. The PCR-LF assay could detect ≥ 5 pg of genomic DNA and ≥ 500 copies of target DNA harboured in a recombinant plasmid. The assay was able to detect as few as 10³ and 10 CFU/mL of B. anthracis Sterne cells spiked in human blood after 6 and 24 h of enrichment, respectively.

Accelerated denaturation bubble-mediated strand exchange amplification for rapid and accurate detection of canine parvovirus

Canine parvovirus (CPV), a strong infectious canine pathogen, has been recognized as a threat to canine health worldwide since the 1970s. Although convenient detection methods have been developed, such as the colloidal gold test strip, most of these methods are based on antibody detection, which is relatively ineffective for detecting pathogens during the incubation period. For institutions and businesses with many dogs, e.g., dog training centers and kennels, more sensitive detection methods are required to prevent the swift spread of CPV. Thus, we developed accelerated denaturation bubble-mediated strand exchange amplification (ASEA) for CPV detection, and it is a rapid, convenient, and cost-effective method. ASEA was able to distinguish CPV genomic DNA in a mixture that included canine genomic DNA as well as nucleic acids sourced from nine other common pathogens, with detection of target DNA as low as 8.0 × 10^-18 M within 16.6 min. Coupled with the thermal lysis method modified by us that only requires 3 min to perform, the entire detection procedure can be completed within approximately 20 min and only requires a simple heating block and an ordinary fluorescence PCR instrument. Moreover, ASEA exhibited greater sensitivity than colloidal gold test strips in actual specimen detection. This technique is rapid, easy to perform, and highly sensitive, and therefore, this approach has the potential to rapidly detect CPV in institutions with large populations of dogs.

Genetic Characterisation and Local Genotypes of Canine Parvovirus Strains Collected from Pet Dogs in Central and Eastern China During 2018-2019

Introduction

Canine parvovirus type-2 (CPV-2) causes acute infectious diseases in puppies, which show high morbidity and mortality. Better effect of vaccination against these diseases could be achieved with deeper knowledge of CPV-2 genotype dissemination and mutation history. This study investigated CPV-2–positive samples collected recently over a wide region of China.

Material and Methods

A total of 118 faecal samples from dogs identified as CPV-positive were collected from veterinary clinics in central and eastern China. Overall, 16 strains collected from Anhui, 29 from Henan, and 16 from Zhejiang Province were sequenced to determine the genotypic composition of CPV-2 and mutational complexity of CPV-VP2.

Results

The CPV-2a, CPV-2b, and CPV-2c genotypes were detected in Anhui and Henan Provinces, while CPV-2c alone was detected in Zhejiang Province. Sequence analysis of all strains showed 98.5%–99.8%, 98.3%–99.9%, and 98.7%–99.8% identity among the 16 Anhui, 29 Henan, and 16 Zhejiang strains, respectively. Strains collected from Anhui and Henan Provinces showed lower identity (97.0%), suggesting greater genetic divergence in central China. The mutation rates of Henan and Anhui strains were lower than that of Zhejiang strains. Major amino acid mutations occurred at sites 5, 370, 426, and 440. Epitope and entropy analyses implied these sites’ likely conformance to the principles of mutation tendency, complexity, and diversity.

Conclusion

The findings for the evolutionary structure of CPV-2 strains collected from three provinces in central and eastern China advance trend monitoring of the genetic variation in canine parvovirus and point to its implications in the development of novel vaccines.

Recent Trends in Nanomaterial-Based Biosensors for Point-of-Care Testing

In recent years, nanomaterials of different shape, size, and composition have been prepared and characterized, such as gold and silver nanoparticles, quantum dots, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, carbon nanomaterials, and hybrid nanocomposites. Because of their unique physical and chemical properties, these nanomaterials are increasingly used in point-of-care testing (POCT) to improve analytical performance and simplify detection process. They are used either as carriers for immobilizing biorecognition elements, or as labels for signal generation, transduction and amplification. In this commentary, we highlight recent POCT technologies that employ nanotechnology for the analysis of disease biomarkers, including small-molecule metabolites, enzymes, proteins, nucleic acids, cancer cells, and pathogens. Recent advances in lateral flow tests, printable electrochemical biosensors, and microfluidics-based devices are summarized. Existing challenges and future directions are also discussed.

An Improved Polymerase Cross-Linking Spiral Reaction Assay for Rapid Diagnostic of Canine Parvovirus 2 Infection

With increasing complications of canine parvovirus infection cases, disease diagnosis and treatment have become more difficult. In this study, specificity primers for the conserved region of the VP2 gene of canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) were synthesized and evaluated. An improved polymerase cross-linking spiral reaction (PCLSR) method for early and rapid diagnosis of CPV-2 was established. The results showed that the amplification reaction was optimal when run at 62°C for 50 min and could be used to detect CPV-2 without any cross-reactions with other pathogens of canine infectious diseases. Reaction results were directly judged by the naked eyes, with the positive amplification tube shown as luminous yellow and the negative tube as bright purple. Compared with the previously reported polymerase spiral reaction (PSR) method for CPV-2 detection, this reaction was performed using improved primer pairs and a better dye identification method (using an indicator comprising phenol red and cresol red). The detection limit of PCLSR was 3.9 × 10¹ copies using gel electrophoresis or a visible dye. The positive rate of 132 clinical samples was 42.42%, which was identically the same as that of the PSR method and slightly higher than that of the colloidal gold strip method (39.39%). The newly developed CPV-PCLSR assay shows the advantage of rapid visualization of results and offers a convenient and rapid method for early CPV-2 diagnosis with higher sensitivity and specificity than the established methods.

Advances in the Diagnosis of Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a devastating livestock disease caused by foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Outbreaks of this disease in a country always result in conspicuous economic losses to livestock industry and subsequently lead to serious socioeconomic damages due to the immediate imposition of trade embargo. Rapid and accurate diagnoses are imperative to control this infectious virus. In the current review, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based methods used in FMD diagnosis are extensively reviewed, particularly the sandwich, liquid-phase blocking, and solid-phase competition ELISA. The differentiation of infected animals from vaccinated animals using ELISA-based methods is also highlighted, in which the role of 3ABC polyprotein as a marker is reviewed intensively. Recently, more studies are focusing on the molecular diagnostic methods, which detect the viral nucleic acids based on reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and RT-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP). These methods are generally more sensitive because of their ability to amplify a minute amount of the viral nucleic acids. In this digital era, the RT-PCR and RT-LAMP are progressing toward the mobile versions, aiming for on-site FMDV diagnosis. Apart from RT-PCR and RT-LAMP, another diagnostic assay specifically designed for on-site diagnosis is the lateral flow immunochromatographic test strips. These test strips have some distinct advantages over other diagnostic methods, whereby the assay often does not require the aid of an external device, which greatly lowers the cost per test. In addition, the on-site diagnostic test can be easily performed by untrained personnel including farmers, and the results can be obtained in a few minutes. Lastly, the use of FMDV diagnostic assays for progressive control of the disease is also discussed critically.

Development of Solid-Phase RPA on a Lateral Flow Device for the Detection of Pathogens Related to Sepsis

Population extended life expectancy has significantly increased the risk of septic shock in an ageing population. Sepsis affects roughly 20 million people every year, resulting in over 11 million deaths. The need for faster more accurate diagnostics and better management is therefore paramount in the fight to prevent these avoidable deaths. Here we report the development of a POC device with the ability to identify a broad range of pathogens on a lateral flow platform. Namely Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The simple to use laboratory device has the potential to be automated, thus enabling an operator to carry out solid-phase lysis and room temperature RPA in situ, providing accurate results in hours rather than days. Results show there is a potential for a fully automated device in which concepts described in this paper can be integrated into a lateral flow device.

Application of magnetic nanoparticles in nucleic acid detection

Nucleic acid is the main material for storing, copying, and transmitting genetic information. Gene sequencing is of great significance in DNA damage research, gene therapy, mutation analysis, bacterial infection, drug development, and clinical diagnosis. Gene detection has a wide range of applications, such as environmental, biomedical, pharmaceutical, agriculture and forensic medicine to name a few. Compared with Sanger sequencing, high-throughput sequencing technology has the advantages of larger output, high resolution, and low cost which greatly promotes the application of sequencing technology in life science research. Magnetic nanoparticles, as an important part of nanomaterials, have been widely used in various applications because of their good dispersion, high surface area, low cost, easy separation in buffer systems and signal detection. Based on the above, the application of magnetic nanoparticles in nucleic acid detection was reviewed.

Lateral flow fluorescent immunoassay based on isothermal amplification for rapid quantitative detection of Salmonella spp

Salmonella spp. are zoonotic pathogens of substantial public health concern. To enable detection in the field or under instrument-free conditions, we developed a rapid and robust lateral flow fluorescent immunoassay based on strand exchange amplification (SEA-LFIA) for the quantitative detection of Salmonella spp. As far as we know, this work is the first report regarding the use of Bst DNA polymerase-assisted SEA for fluorescence sensing to detect Salmonella spp. The SEA method was further confirmed by enzymatic digestion and Sanger dideoxy sequencing. The specificity of SEA-LFIA assay was verified by 89 Salmonella strains (18 Salmonella reference strains and 71 clinical isolates) and 15 non-Salmonella reference strains (different genera). The sensitivity of SEA-LFIA assay was 6 × 10⁰ CFU mL^-1 of Salmonella pure culture or 3 × 10⁴ CFU 25 g^-1 of artificially spiked raw chicken meat. Using this assay, it was found that 37 (16%) of the 236 samples collected were positive, which was consistent with the results of conventional PCR. The cutoff value is 15 and SEA-LFIA assay only takes ∼30 min without high equipment and reagent cost. In addition, the proposed strategy can be easily extended by redesigning the corresponding amplification primers to detect target analytes. In conclusion, the optimized SEA-LFIA assay is an efficient and specific method for the detection of Salmonella spp., and can potentially serve as a new on-site diagnostic tool in life sciences.