We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Methods Compared to Diagnose Schistosomiasis Japonica

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 28 Mar 2019
Zoonotic schistosomiasis in Asia, caused by Schistosoma japonicum, remains a major public health concern in China and the Philippines. More...
If left untreated, it will develop into a chronic condition characterized by hepatosplenic disease and impaired physical and cognitive development.

There are three major categories of methods available for schistosomiasis diagnosis: parasitological detection (e.g. the Kato-Katz (KK) method); serology, including antibody-detection (AbD) and antigen-detection (AgD); and molecular assays (e.g. circulating nucleic acids detection).

A team of scientists collaborating with the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (Brisbane, Australia) collected clinical samples of feces and blood from 412 subjects from Northern Samar, the Philippines, in 2015. Serum samples of healthy individuals were obtained from Heilongjiang Province, a non-endemic area for schistosomiasis in China. For the KK method slides were examined under a light microscope by experienced laboratory technicians. Infection intensity was presented as the number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG). For accuracy determination, 10% of slides were randomly selected and re-examined by an experienced microscopist.

Genomic DNA isolation of fecal samples was performed using the Maxwell 16 Instrument. Serum DNA extraction was performed using a ChemagicTM360 instrument. Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) assays was performed and following PCR amplification, the plate was transferred to a QX200 Droplet Reader for analysis. Diagnostic candidates for schistosomiasis japonica by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were also evaluated.

The team reported that compared with the ddPCR assay analyzing DNA from feces, exhibited the highest sensitivity, the recombinant antigens of SjSAP4 + Sj23-LHD-ELISA had the best accuracy (67.72%) among all five ELISA assays assessed. Schistosomiasis prevalence determined by the SjSAP4 + Sj23-LHD-ELISA and ddPCRs was similar and was at least 2.5 times higher than obtained with the KK method. However, the agreement between these assays was low. In terms of cost and logistical convenience, the SjSAP4 + Sj23-LHD-ELISA represent a cost-effective assay with considerable diagnostic merits. In contrast, although the ddPCR assays exhibited a high level of diagnostic performance, the high cost and the need for specialized equipment presents a major obstacle in their application in screening campaigns.

The authors concluded that the SjSAP4 + Sj23-LHD-ELISA represents a cost-effective tool for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis that could prove an important component in the monitoring of integrated control measures as elimination draws closer, whereas the ddPCR assays, in addition to their high sensitivity and specificity, are capable of quantifying infection intensity. The study was published on March 4, 2019, in the journal PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Related Links:
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute


Gold Member
Quantitative POC Immunoassay Analyzer
EASY READER+
3-Part Differential Hematology Analyzer
Swelab Alfa Plus Sampler
New
Celiac Disease Test
Anti-Gliadin IgG ELISA
New
Automated PCR Setup
ESTREAM
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more

Pathology

view channel
These images illustrate how precision oncology Organ Chips recapitulate individual patients’ responses to chemotherapy (Photo courtesy of Wyss Institute at Harvard University)

Cancer Chip Accurately Predicts Patient-Specific Chemotherapy Response

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of the two primary types of esophageal cancer, ranks as the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and currently lacks effective targeted therapies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.