Development of loop-mediated isothermal amplification assays for rapid and easy detection of Coxiella Burnetii.

Q fever is an important worldwide zoonosis that is caused by infection with Coxiella burnetii. We have developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to detect the presence of the transposase gene insertion element IS1111a of C. burnetii. The sensitivity of this LAMP assay is very similar to quantitative PCR (qPCR) method with a detection limit at 25 copies of the gene, the equivalent of about one C. burnetii organism. Several methods for the detection of LAMP product were also performed to show the diverse way of detection which may be used in different settings depending on the user's infrastructure and resource.