Journal article
Molecular Detection of Schistosome Infections with a Disposable Microfluidic Cassette
PLoS neglected tropical diseases, v 9(12), pp e0004318-e0004318
01 Dec 2015
PMID: 26720725
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Parasitic helminths such as schistosomes, as well as filarial and soil-transmitted nematodes, are estimated to infect at least a billion people worldwide, with devastating impacts on human health and economic development. Diagnosis and monitoring of infection dynamics and efficacy of treatment depend almost entirely on methods that are inaccurate, labor-intensive, and unreliable. These shortcomings are amplified and take on added significance in mass drug administration programs, where measures of effectiveness depend on accurate monitoring of treatment success (or failure), changes in disease transmission rates, and emergence of possible drug resistance. Here, we adapt isothermal molecular assays such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to a simple, hand-held, custom-made field-ready microfluidic device that allows sensitive and specific detection of schistosome cell-free nucleic acids in serum and plasma (separated with a point-of-care plasma separator) from Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice. Cell-free S. mansoni DNA was detected with our device without prior extraction from blood. Our chip exhibits high sensitivity (~2 x 10(-17) g/μL), with a positive signal for S. mansoni DNA detectable as early as one week post infection, several weeks before parasite egg production commences. These results indicate that incorporation of isothermal amplification strategies with our chips could represent a strategy for rapid, simple, low-cost diagnosis of both pre-patent and chronic schistosome infections as well as potential monitoring of treatment efficacy.
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Details
- Title
- Molecular Detection of Schistosome Infections with a Disposable Microfluidic Cassette
- Creators
- Jinzhao Song - University of PennsylvaniaChangchun Liu - University of PennsylvaniaSwarna Bais - University of PennsylvaniaMichael G Mauk - University of PennsylvaniaHaim H Bau - University of PennsylvaniaRobert M Greenberg - University of Pennsylvania
- Publication Details
- PLoS neglected tropical diseases, v 9(12), pp e0004318-e0004318
- Publisher
- Public LIbrary of Science (PLOS)
- Grant note
- R21AI112713 / NIAID NIH HHS R21 AI112713 / NIAID NIH HHS K25 AI099160 / NIAID NIH HHS K25AI099160 / NIAID NIH HHS
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Engineering Technology
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000368345100062
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84953261930
- Other Identifier
- 991020623910804721
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InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Infectious Diseases
- Parasitology
- Tropical Medicine