This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Deborggraeve, S.
Right arrow Articles by Büscher, P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Deborggraeve, S.
Right arrow Articles by Büscher, P.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, August 2006, p. 2884-2889, Vol. 44, No. 8
0095-1137/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.02594-05
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Molecular Dipstick Test for Diagnosis of Sleeping Sickness

S. Deborggraeve,1,3* F. Claes,1 T. Laurent,1 P. Mertens,2 T. Leclipteux,2 J. C. Dujardin,1 P. Herdewijn,3 and P. Büscher1

Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium,1 Coris BioConcept, Gembloux, Belgium,2 Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medicinal Research, Leuven, Belgium3

Received 14 December 2005/ Returned for modification 27 January 2006/ Accepted 2 June 2006

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) or sleeping sickness is a neglected disease that affects poor rural populations across sub-Saharan Africa. Confirmation of diagnosis is based on detection of parasites in either blood or lymph by microscopy. Here we present the development and the first-phase evaluation of a simple and rapid test (HAT-PCR-OC [human African trypanosomiasis-PCR-oligochromatography]) for detection of amplified Trypanosoma brucei DNA. PCR products are visualized on a dipstick through hybridization with a gold-conjugated probe (oligochromatography). Visualization is straightforward and takes only 5 min. Controls both for the PCR and for DNA migration are incorporated into the assay. The lower detection limit of the test is 5 fg of pure T. brucei DNA. One parasite in 180 µl of blood is still detectable. Sensitivity and specificity for T. brucei were calculated at 100% when tested on blood samples from 26 confirmed sleeping sickness patients, 18 negative controls (nonendemic region), and 50 negative control blood samples from an endemic region. HAT-PCR-OC is a promising new tool for diagnosis of sleeping sickness in laboratory settings, and the diagnostic format described here may have wider application for other infectious diseases.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, B-2000 Antwerpen, Belgium. Phone: 32 3 24 76 488. Fax: 32 3 24 76 359. E-mail: sdeborggraeve{at}itg.be.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, August 2006, p. 2884-2889, Vol. 44, No. 8
0095-1137/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.02594-05
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Mugasa, C. M., Laurent, T., Schoone, G. J., Kager, P. A., Lubega, G. W., Schallig, H. D. F. H. (2009). Nucleic Acid Sequence-Based Amplification with Oligochromatography for Detection of Trypanosoma brucei in Clinical Samples. J. Clin. Microbiol. 47: 630-635 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • van der Meide, W., Guerra, J., Schoone, G., Farenhorst, M., Coelho, L., Faber, W., Peekel, I., Schallig, H. (2008). Comparison between Quantitative Nucleic Acid Sequence-Based Amplification, Real-Time Reverse Transcriptase PCR, and Real-Time PCR for Quantification of Leishmania Parasites. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46: 73-78 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Claes, F., Deborggraeve, S., Verloo, D., Mertens, P., Crowther, J. R., Leclipteux, T., Buscher, P. (2007). Validation of a PCR-Oligochromatography Test for Detection of Trypanozoon Parasites in a Multicenter Collaborative Trial. J. Clin. Microbiol. 45: 3785-3787 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Reithinger, R., Dujardin, J.-C. (2007). Molecular Diagnosis of Leishmaniasis: Current Status and Future Applications. J. Clin. Microbiol. 45: 21-25 [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»