Development of a Rapid and Highly Sensitive Nucleic Acid Based Diagnostic Test for Schistosomes, Leveraging on Identical Multi-Repeat Sequences

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorAlly, Ombeni
dc.contributor.authorKanoi, Bernard N.
dc.contributor.authorKamath, Shwetha
dc.contributor.authorShiluli, Clement
dc.contributor.authorNdombi, Eric M.
dc.contributor.authorOdiere, Maurice
dc.contributor.authorMisinzo, Gerald
dc.contributor.authorGer Nyanjom, Steven
dc.contributor.authorKumar, Chunduri Kiran
dc.contributor.authorOchola, Lucy
dc.contributor.authorLolabattu, Srinivasa Raju
dc.contributor.authorGitaka, Jesse
dc.date.accessioned2024-04-05T12:34:44Z
dc.date.available2024-04-05T12:34:44Z
dc.date.issued2024-03
dc.descriptionArticleen_US
dc.description.abstractIntroduction: Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia), a neglected tropical disease caused by Schistosoma parasites, afflicts over 240 million people globally, disproportionately impacting Sub-Saharan Africa. Current diagnostic tests, despite their utility, suffer from limitations like low sensitivity. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) remain the most common and sensitive nucleic acid amplification tests. Still, the sensitivity of nucleic acid amplification tests is significantly affected by the copy number of amplification targets, resulting in underestimation of true Schistosoma infections, especially in low transmission settings. Additionally, lengthy qPCR run times pose challenges when dealing with large sample volumes and limited resources. In this study, the identical multi-repeat sequences (IMRS) were used as a novel approach to enhance the sensitivity of nucleic acid-based Bilharzia diagnosis. Methods: To identify novel genomic repeat regions, we utilized the IMRS algorithm, with modifications to enable larger target region (100-200bp) identification instead of smaller sequences (18-30bp). These regions enabled customised primer-probe design to suit requirements for qPCR assay. To lower the qPCR amplification times, the assay was conducted using fast cycling condition. Regression analysis, and qPCR data visualization was conducted using Python programming. Results: Using Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium, we found that IMRSbased qPCR, employing genus-specific primers and TaqMan probes, offers exceptional analytical sensitivity, detecting as little as a single genome copy per microliter within 36 minutes. Discussion: The lowest concentration of DNA detected using IMRS-based PCR and qPCR represented tenfold improvement over conventional PCR. As part of further development, there is a need to compare IMRS-based qPCR against other qPCR methods for Schistosoma spp. Nonetheless, IMRS-based diagnostics promise a significant advancement in bilharzia diagnosis, particularly in lowtransmission settings, potentially facilitating more effective control and treatment strategies.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThe African Union scholarship program provided funding for this research through the Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology, and Innovation (PAUSTI).en_US
dc.identifier.citationAlly, O., Kanoi, B. N., Kamath, S., Shiluli, C., Ndombi, E. M., Odiere, M., ... & Gitaka, J. (2024). Development of a rapid and highly sensitive nucleic acid-based diagnostic test for schistosomes, leveraging on identical multi-repeat sequences. Frontiers in Parasitology, 3, 1361493.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.3389/fpara.2024.1361493
dc.identifier.urihttps://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/27801
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherFrontiers in Parasitologyen_US
dc.subjectSchistosoma mansonien_US
dc.subjectSchistosoma haematobiumen_US
dc.subjectschistosomiasisen_US
dc.subjectPCRen_US
dc.subjectqPCRen_US
dc.subjectIMRSen_US
dc.titleDevelopment of a Rapid and Highly Sensitive Nucleic Acid Based Diagnostic Test for Schistosomes, Leveraging on Identical Multi-Repeat Sequencesen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Development of Rapid.pdf
Size:
3.24 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Full text Research Article
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
RP-Department of Pathology