Detection of chronic toxoplasmosis in the brain of mice using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and conventional PCR.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is a common protozoan parasite that infects approximately one-third of the world's population. It is a disease with multiple manifestations. In immunocompetent individuals, symptoms are mild and flu-like, whereas, in immunocompromised patients, it often results in severe morbidity and mortality. Thus, studies for developing a simple, rapid diagnostic tool for early detection of Toxoplasma are emerging. Molecular diagnosis is highly accurate and helpful in congenitally infected and immunocompromised patients. The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique was invented to improve nucleic acid amplification efficacy in terms of sensitivity and specificity.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to validate a LAMP protocol for detecting Toxoplasma DNA in the brain homogenates from mice experimentally infected with Toxoplasma's ME-49 (cyst-forming type II) strain in comparison to PCR.

METHODS: In this study, the target DNA fragment was the Toxoplasma 529-bp, repeated 200-300 copies/genome. The sensitivity of both LAMP and conventional PCR techniques was estimated in brain homogenates in experimental mice at eight weeks post-infection and compared to the histopathology data.

RESULTS: The LAMP reaction showed positive results in 18 of the 26 examined samples of brain homogenates. PCR showed the characteristic 529-bp band in 15 of the 26 examined samples.

CONCLUSION: The LAMP showed a higher sensitivity over PCR in detecting Toxoplasma infection in brain homogenates of infected mice.