Rift Valley Fever virus M and L genome segment detection : a comparison of field-deployable reverse transcription insulated isothermal PCR (RT-iiPCR) and laboratory-based multiplex reverse transcription real-time PCR

Rift Valley Fever phlebovirus (RVFV) is a mosquito-borne zoonotic pathogen that causes major agricultural and public health problems in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. It is considered a potential agro-bioterrorism agent for which limited countermeasures are available. To address diagnostic needs, here we describe a rapid and sensitive molecular method immediately employable at sites of suspected outbreaks in animals that commonly precede outbreaks in humans. The strategy involves the concurrent detection of two of the three RVFV genome segments (large and medium) using reverse transcription insulated isothermal PCR (RT-iiPCR) performed on a portable, touch screen nucleic acid analyzer, POCKIT. The analytical sensitivity for both the RT-iiPCR and a laboratory-based L and M multiplex reverse transcription real-time PCR assay was estimated at approximately 0.1-3 copies/reaction using synthetic RNA or viral RNA. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of detection of RVFV on the POCKIT, determined using sera from sheep and cattle (n = 181) experimentally infected with two strains of RVFV (SA01 and Ken06), were 93.8% and 100% (kappa = 0.93), respectively. Testing of ruminant field sera (n = 193) in two locations in Africa demonstrated 100% diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. We conclude that the POCKIT dual-gene RVFV detection strategy can provide reliable, sensitive, and specific point-of-need viral RNA detection. Moreover, the field detection of RVFV in vectors or susceptible animal species can aid in the surveillance and epidemiological studies to better understand and control RVFV outbreaks.

IMPORTANCE: The content of this manuscript is of interest to the diverse readership of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, including research scientists, diagnosticians, healthcare professionals, and policymakers. Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV) is a zoonotic mosquito-borne pathogen that causes major agricultural and public health problems. Current and most sensitive diagnostic approaches that are molecular-based are performed in highly specialized molecular diagnostic laboratories. To address diagnostic needs, we developed a novel, rapid, and sensitive molecular method using a portable PCR machine, POCKIT, capable of immediate deployment at sites of suspected outbreaks. Here, we demonstrate that field-deployable RVFV detection can provide reliable, sensitive, and specific point-of-need viral RNA detection that could be used for diagnostic investigations and epidemiological studies, and can be performed in the field.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:62

Enthalten in:

Journal of clinical microbiology - 62(2024), 3 vom: 13. März, Seite e0043023

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Trujillo, Jessie D [VerfasserIn]
Wilson, William C [VerfasserIn]
Craig, Anthony [VerfasserIn]
Van den Bergh, Carien [VerfasserIn]
Wang, Thomas [VerfasserIn]
Thompson, Peter [VerfasserIn]
Swanepoel, Robert [VerfasserIn]
Morozov, Igor [VerfasserIn]
Richt, Juergen A [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Animals
Detection
Insulated isothermal RT-PCR
Journal Article
Point-of-need
RNA, Viral
RT-PCR
Rift Valley fever phlebovirus
Zoonoses

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 14.03.2024

Date Revised 15.03.2024

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1128/jcm.00430-23

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM367945649