Laboratory and field validation of the recombinase polymerase amplification assay targeting the Schistosoma mansoni mitochondrial minisatellite region (SmMIT-RPA) for snail xenomonitoring for schistosomiasis

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2024.01.005
• Publication Date: 2024-02-03T04:44:09Z
• Authors: Silvia Gonçalves ...; Grace Gadd; Fernanda Sales Co...; Adam Cieplinski; Aidan Emery; Elena Birgitta Lugli; Taynãna César Simões; Cristina Toscano ...; Roberta Lima Cald...; Bonnie Webster
• Keywords: Recombinase Polymerase Amplification; Biomphalaria; Minisatellite

Improvements in diagnostics for schistosomiasis both humans and snail hosts are priorities to be able reach the World Health Organization (WHO) goal of eliminating disease as a public health problem by 2030. In this context, molecular isothermal amplification tests, such Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA), promising use endemic areas at point-of-need their accuracy, robustness, simplicity, time-effectiveness. The developed recombinase polymerase assay targeting Schistosoma mansoni mitochondrial minisatellite region (SmMIT-RPA)was used detect DNA from laboratory field Biomphalaria snails. Laboratory snails were experimentally infected one, seven, 28 days post-exposure (dpe) 10 S. miracidia provide samples early pre-patent infection stage. Field spp. collected Mucuri Valley Jequitinhonha regions state Minas Gerais, Brazil, which mansoni. sensitivity specificity SmMIT-RPA analysed compared with existing loop-mediated (LAMP), PCR-based methods, parasitological examination snails, nucleotide sequencing. was glabrata 1 dpe miracidia. It also detected infections (55.5% prevalence) highest accuracy (100% specificity) other tests reference. Results study indicate that is good alternative test xenomonitoring due its high sensitivity, possibility detecting infection. Its simplicity portability make it suitable methodology low-resource settings.