1
|
Chen W, Luo H, Zeng L, Pan Y, Parr JB, Jiang Y, Cunningham CH, Hawley KL, Radolf JD, Ke W, Ou J, Yang J, Yang B, Zheng H. A suite of PCR-LwCas13a assays for detection and genotyping of Treponema pallidum in clinical samples. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4671. [PMID: 35945210 PMCID: PMC9362966 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32250-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The performance of commonly used assays for diagnosis of syphilis varies considerably depending on stage of infection and sample type. In response to the need for improved syphilis diagnostics, we develop assays that pair PCR pre-amplification of the tpp47 gene of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum with CRISPR-LwCas13a. The PCR-LwCas13a assay achieves an order of magnitude better analytical sensitivity than real-time PCR with equivalent specificity. When applied to a panel of 216 biological specimens, including 135 clinically confirmed primary and secondary syphilis samples, the PCR-LwCas13a assay demonstrates 93.3% clinical sensitivity and 100% specificity, outperforming tpp47 real-time PCR and rabbit-infectivity testing. We further adapt this approach to distinguish Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum lineages and identify genetic markers of macrolide resistance. Our study demonstrates the potential of CRISPR-based approaches to improve diagnosis and epidemiological surveillance of syphilis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Chen
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Hao Luo
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Lihong Zeng
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Yuying Pan
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jonathan B Parr
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, and Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yinbo Jiang
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Clark H Cunningham
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, and Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kelly L Hawley
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Connecticut Children's, Hartford, CT, USA
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Justin D Radolf
- Department of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biophysics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
- Department of Immunology, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Wujian Ke
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jiangli Ou
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Jianjiang Yang
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control, Guangzhou, P. R. China
| | - Bin Yang
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
| | - Heping Zheng
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control, Guangzhou, P. R. China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Priya K, Rathinasabapathi P, Arunraj R, Sugapriya D, Ramya M. Development of multiplex HRM-based loop-mediated isothermal amplification method for specific and sensitive detection of Treponema pallidum. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:355. [PMID: 35648234 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-02973-z] [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: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochaete bacterium Treponema pallidum. This study has developed a multiplex High-Resolution Melt-curve Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (multiplex HRM-LAMP) assay targeting the marker genes polA and tprL to detect T. pallidum. The multiplex HRM-LAMP assay conditions were optimized at 65 °C for 45 min. Real-time melt-curve analysis of multiplex HRM-LAMP shows two melt-curve peaks corresponding to polA and tprL with a Tm value of 80 ± 0.5 °C and 87 ± 0.5 °C, respectively. The detection limit of multiplex HRM-LAMP was found to be 6.4 × 10-4 ng/μL (3.79 copies/μL) of T. pallidum. The specificity was evaluated using seven different bacterial species, and the developed method was 100% specific in detecting T. pallidum. A total of 64 blood samples of T. pallidum suspected cases were used to validate the assay method. The clinical validation showed that the assay was 96.43% sensitive and 100% specific in detecting syphilis. Thus, the developed method was more rapid and sensitive than other available methods and provides a multigene-based diagnostic approach to detect T. pallidum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Krishnamoorthy Priya
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, SRM Nagar, Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram District, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - Pasupathi Rathinasabapathi
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, SRM Nagar, Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram District, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - Rex Arunraj
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, SRM Nagar, Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram District, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
| | - Dhanasekaran Sugapriya
- Department of Medical Laboratory (Pathology), College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Wadi-Al Dawaser, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohandass Ramya
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Department of Genetic Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, SRM Nagar, Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram District, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Noda AA, Méndez M, Rodríguez I, Šmajs D. Genetic Recombination in Treponema pallidum: Implications for Diagnosis, Epidemiology, and Vaccine Development. Sex Transm Dis 2022; 49:e7-e10. [PMID: 34618784 DOI: 10.1097/olq.0000000000001497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Angel A Noda
- From the Department of Mycology-Bacteriology, Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí," Havana, Cuba
| | - Melisa Méndez
- From the Department of Mycology-Bacteriology, Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí," Havana, Cuba
| | - Islay Rodríguez
- From the Department of Mycology-Bacteriology, Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kourí," Havana, Cuba
| | - David Šmajs
- Department of Biology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Saar M, Beissner M, Gültekin F, Maman I, Herbinger KH, Bretzel G. RLEP LAMP for the laboratory confirmation of leprosy: towards a point-of-care test. BMC Infect Dis 2021; 21:1186. [PMID: 34823479 PMCID: PMC8620619 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06882-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nucleic acid-based amplification tests (NAAT), above all (q)PCR, have been applied for the detection of Mycobacterium leprae in leprosy cases and household contacts with subclinical infection. However, their application in the field poses a range of technical challenges. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), as a promising point-of-care NAAT does not require sophisticated laboratory equipment, is easy to perform, and is applicable for decentralized diagnosis at the primary health care level. Among a range of gene targets, the M. leprae specific repetitive element RLEP is regarded as highly sensitive and specific for diagnostic applications. METHODS: Our group developed and validated a dry-reagent-based (DRB) RLEP LAMP, provided product specifications for customization of a ready-to-use kit (intended for commercial production) and compared it against the in-house prototype. The assays were optimized for application on a Genie® III portable fluorometer. For technical validation, 40 "must not detect RLEP" samples derived from RLEP qPCR negative exposed and non-exposed individuals, as well as from patients with other conditions and a set of closely related mycobacterial cultures, were tested together with 25 "must detect RLEP" samples derived from qPCR confirmed leprosy patients. For clinical validation, 150 RLEP qPCR tested samples were analyzed, consisting of the following categories: high-positive samples of multibacillary (MB) leprosy patients (> 10.000 bacilli/extract), medium-positive samples of MB leprosy patients (1.001-10.000 bacilli/extract), low-positive samples of MB leprosy patients (1-1.000 bacilli/extract), endemic controls and healthy non-exposed controls; each n = 30. RESULTS: Technical validation: both LAMP formats had a limit of detection of 1.000 RLEP copies, i.e. 43-27 bacilli, a sensitivity of 92% (in-house protocol)/100% (ready-to-use protocol) and a specificity of 100%. Reagents were stable for at least 1 year at 22 °C. Clinical validation: Both formats showed a negativity rate of 100% and a positivity rate of 100% for high-positive samples and 93-100% for medium positive samples, together with a positive predictive value of 100% and semi-quantitative results. The positivity rate for low-positive samples was 77% (in-house protocol)/43% (ready-to-use protocol) and differed significantly between both formats. CONCLUSIONS: The ready-to-use RLEP DRB LAMP assay constitutes an ASSURED test ready for field-based evaluation trials aiming for routine diagnosis of leprosy at the primary health care level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Malkin Saar
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Leopoldstrasse 5, 80802, Munich, Germany.
| | - Marcus Beissner
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Leopoldstrasse 5, 80802, Munich, Germany
| | - Fatih Gültekin
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Leopoldstrasse 5, 80802, Munich, Germany
| | - Issaka Maman
- Ministère de la Santé, Institut National d'Hygiène (INH), Lomé, Togo
| | - Karl-Heinz Herbinger
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Leopoldstrasse 5, 80802, Munich, Germany
| | - Gisela Bretzel
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Leopoldstrasse 5, 80802, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Becherer L, Knauf S, Marks M, Lueert S, Frischmann S, Borst N, von Stetten F, Bieb S, Adu-Sarkodie Y, Asiedu K, Mitjà O, Bakheit M. Multiplex Mediator Displacement Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification for Detection of Treponema pallidum and Haemophilus ducreyi. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 26:282-288. [PMID: 31961303 PMCID: PMC6986840 DOI: 10.3201/eid2602.190505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Yaws, a neglected tropical disease caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue, manifests as ulcerative skin lesions. Nucleic acid amplification tests, like loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), are versatile tools to distinguish yaws from infections that cause similar skin lesions, primarily Haemophilus ducreyi. We developed a novel molecular test to simultaneously detect T. pallidum and H. ducreyi based on mediator displacement LAMP. We validated the T. pallidum and H. ducreyi LAMP (TPHD-LAMP) by testing 293 clinical samples from patients with yaws-like lesions. Compared with quantitative PCR, the TPHD-LAMP demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for T. pallidum (84.7% sensitivity, 95.7% specificity) and H. ducreyi (91.6% sensitivity, 84.8% specificity). This novel assay provided rapid molecular confirmation of T. pallidum and H. ducreyi DNA and might be suitable for use at the point of care. TPHD-LAMP could support yaws eradication by improving access to molecular diagnostic tests at the district hospital level.
Collapse
|
6
|
Hallmaier-Wacker LK, Lüert S, Gronow S, Spröer C, Overmann J, Buller N, Vaughan-Higgins RJ, Knauf S. A Metataxonomic Tool to Investigate the Diversity of Treponema. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:2094. [PMID: 31552004 PMCID: PMC6746968 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Treponema contains a number of human and animal pathogenic as well as symbiotic bacteria that are found in vastly different anatomical and environmental habitats. Our understanding of the species range, evolution, and biology of these important bacteria is still limited. To explore the diversity of treponemes, we established, validated, and tested a novel metataxonomic approach. As the informative nature of the hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene differ, we first analyzed each variable region independently. Considering the in silico results obtained, we established and validated the sequencing of the V4-region of the 16S rRNA gene using known mixtures of Treponema species as well as a selected number of clinical samples. The metataxonomic approach was able to identify Treponema to a near-species level. We demonstrate that using a spirochete-specific enrichment, our method is applicable to complex microbial communities and large variety of biological samples. The metataxonomic approach described provides a useful method to unravel the full diversity and range of Treponema in various ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luisa K Hallmaier-Wacker
- Neglected Tropical Diseases Work Group, Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.,Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Simone Lüert
- Neglected Tropical Diseases Work Group, Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.,Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sabine Gronow
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Cathrin Spröer
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jörg Overmann
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ - German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany.,Department of Microbiology, Braunschweig University of Technology, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Nicky Buller
- Animal Pathology - Bacteriology Laboratory, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, South Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Rebecca J Vaughan-Higgins
- Department of Conservation Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Sascha Knauf
- Neglected Tropical Diseases Work Group, Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|