Establishment of a CRISPR/Cas12a/13a-driven dual-detection platform for rapid diagnosis of swine influenza virus and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infection

Background Swine influenza virus (SIV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) are leading pathogens in pigs, whose co-infections exacerbate disease severity. Current diagnostics like RT-PCR lack suitability for rapid, on-site use, while CRISPR-based systems face challenges in convenient multiplex detection. Results We developed an RT-LAMP-CRISPR-Cas12a/13a-LFD dual-detection platform that integrates reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) with the orthogonal trans-cleavage activities of CRISPR-Cas12a and Cas13a, followed by lateral flow dipstick (LFD) visualization. This assay achieved detection limits of 5 copies/µL for SIV and 2 copies/µL for PRRSV, and exhibited high specificity against other common swine pathogens. The entire process, including a 20-minute amplification at 40 °C and 5-minute LFD readout, enables rapid and visual diagnosis. A preliminary validation was conducted using respiratory infection samples, demonstrating high concordance with reference methods and specificity against non-target pathogens. Conclusions The RT-LAMP-CRISPR-Cas12a/13a-LFD assay provides a sensitive, specific, and potentially field-adaptable tool for the simultaneous detection of SIV and PRRSV. It is ideally suited for early screening and precise control of these pathogens in resource-limited settings.