Application of PCR-based tools to explore strongyloides infection in people in parts of northern Australia
Robertson, Gemma J., Koehler, Anson V., Gasser, Robin B., Watts, Matthew, Norton, Robert, and Bradbury, Richard S. (2017) Application of PCR-based tools to explore strongyloides infection in people in parts of northern Australia. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 2 (4). 62.
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Abstract
Strongyloidiasis, which is caused by infection with the nematode Strongyloides stercoralis, is endemic to areas of northern Australia. Diagnosis in this region remains difficult due to the distances between endemic communities and diagnostic laboratories, leading to lengthy delays in stool processing for microscopy and culture. PCR represents a viable solution to this difficulty, having potential for high sensitivity detection of S. stercoralis, even in older, unpreserved faecal samples. We prospectively collected 695 faecal specimens that were submitted to The Townsville Hospital Microbiology Laboratory from the North Queensland region for routine parasitological examination, and subjected them to a Strongyloides sp. real-time (q)PCR. Results were confirmed with a novel nested conventional PCR assay targeting the 18S rRNA gene, followed by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis (SSCP). Of the 695 specimens tested, S. stercoralis was detected in three specimens (0.4%) by classical parasitological methods (direct microscopy and formyl-ether acetate concentration), whereas 42 positives were detected by qPCR (6.0%). Conventional PCR confirmed the real-time PCR results in 24 of the samples (3.5%). Several apparent false-positive results occurred at higher cycle times (Ct) in the qPCR. Use of real-time PCR in these populations is promising for the enhanced detection of disease and to support eradication efforts.
Item ID: | 81866 |
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Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
ISSN: | 2414-6366 |
Keywords: | Australia, PCR, SSCP, Strongyloides stercoralis, Strongyloidiasis |
Copyright Information: | © 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
Date Deposited: | 20 Jun 2024 03:10 |
FoR Codes: | 32 BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL SCIENCES > 3207 Medical microbiology > 320704 Medical parasitology @ 80% 32 BIOMEDICAL AND CLINICAL SCIENCES > 3202 Clinical sciences > 320211 Infectious diseases @ 20% |
SEO Codes: | 20 HEALTH > 2004 Public health (excl. specific population health) > 200499 Public health (excl. specific population health) not elsewhere classified @ 100% |
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