Key result
Loopamp test outperforms standard qPCR, detecting Trypanosoma brucei gambiense at 100 trypanosomes/mL in dried blood.
Why the study?
Monitoring the interruption of gambiense-HAT transmission by 2030 requires reliable, cheap, high-throughput tests using easily collectable specimens like dried blood spots.
What is the analytical sensitivity of Loopamp, M18S qPCR, and TgsGP qPCR for detecting Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in dried blood spots?
What is the analytical sensitivity of Loopamp, M18S qPCR, and TgsGP qPCR for detecting Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in dried blood spots?
Loopamp provides higher analytical sensitivity than M18S and TgsGP qPCR for detecting Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in dried blood spots, though none are ideal for high-throughput monitoring.
DBS may enable remote HAT surveillance as capacities decline; leaves open prospective accuracy validation in elimination settings.
The objective set by WHO to reach elimination of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) as a public health problem by 2020 is being achieved. The next target is the interruption of gambiense-HAT transmission in humans by 2030. To monitor progress towards this target, in areas where specialized local HAT control capacities will disappear, is a major challenge. Test specimens should be easily collectable and safely transportable such as dried blood spots (DBS). Monitoring tests performed in regional reference centres should be reliable, cheap and allow analysis of large numbers of specimens in a high-throughput format. The aim of this study was to assess the analytical sensitivity of Loopamp, M18S quantitative real-time PCR (M18S qPCR) and TgsGP qPCR as molecular diagnostic tests for the presence of Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in DBS. The sensitivity of the Loopamp test, with a detection limit of 100 trypanosomes/mL, was in the range of parasitaemias commonly observed in HAT patients, while detection limits for M18S and TgsGP qPCR were respectively 1000 and 10,000 trypanosomes/mL. None of the tests was entirely suitable for high-throughput use and further development and implementation of sensitive high-throughput molecular tools for monitoring HAT elimination are needed.
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Compaoré et al. (2020) studied Human African trypanosomiasis. Loopamp, M18S qPCR, and TgsGP qPCR was evaluated on Analytical sensitivity (detection limit) for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in dried blood spots. The Loopamp test demonstrated a detection limit of 100 trypanosomes/mL for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in dried blood spots, compared to 1000 and 10,000 trypanosomes/mL for M18S and TgsGP qPCR.
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