LAMPhimerus: a novel LAMP assay for detecting Amphimerus sp. DNA in human stool samples

Abstract

[EN]Amphimeriasis, a fish-borne zoonotic disease caused by the liver fluke Amphimerus spp., is a highly prevalent parasitic infection affecting an indigenous Amerindian group, the Chachi, living in rural and remote tropical areas along the RõÂo Cayapas and its tributaries in the north-western coastal rainforest of Ecuador. Very little is known about the clinical course and treatment of this disease, and the only method for diagnosing it is the parasitological microscopic detection of eggs from Amphimerus spp. in patients' stool samples. This method lacks sensitivity, and the morphology of the eggs may be confounded with other liver and intestinal flukes. New diagnostic tools that can improve the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing Amphimerus spp. infection would be desirable. At present, LAMP technology shows all the characteristics required of a real-time assay with simple operation for potential use in the clinical diagnosis of infectious diseases, particularly in the field conditions in developing countries for most neglected tropical diseases. In this study, we developed and successfully evaluated a LAMP assay for detecting Amphimerus sp. in human stool samples. After further validation, our LAMP assay (LAMPhimerus) could be readily adapted for effective field diagnosis and disease surveillance in amphimeriasis- endemic areas.