Development of a LAMP Assay to Screen for Animal Chlamydiosis
Date
2014-07-07
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Abstract
Chlamydial species are gram-negative bacteria that are obligate intracellular parasites. They can infect humans, avians, ruminants, guinea pigs, mice, cats, and pigs. Chlamydiosis produces a wide range of health problems including infertility, abortion, pneumonia, trachoma, pelvic inflammatory disease, decreased milk production, asthma, and arthritis. Chlamydial infection in cattle has a substantial financial impact on the cattle industry due to spontaneous abortion, infertility, and decreased milk production. Adding to the financial impact of animal chlamydiosis is the need for an improved detection method. The current tests used to screen for chlamydial infection are expensive, require specialized equipment and trained personnel, and lack sensitivity and specificity. Thus, this project sought to optimize loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to detect chlamydial DNA. This novel method of DNA amplification is quick, specific, and sensitive, and does not need to be done in a laboratory. However, optimization proved difficult and it was determined that the primers being used were dimerizing and thus producing false positives. Thus, new primers must be used to successfully optimize LAMP for screening for animal chlamydiosis.
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chlamydia, disease