Detection of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi in guttural pouch lavage samples using a loop-mediated isothermal nucleic acid amplification microfluidic device.
Authors: Boyle Ashley G, Rankin Shelley C, O'Shea Kathleen, Stefanovski Darko, Peng Jing, Song Jinzhao, Bau Haim H
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Editorial Summary Rapid identification of Streptococcus equi carriers remains crucial for controlling strangles transmission, yet current diagnostic methods rely on laboratory-based qPCR analysis, delaying management decisions. Researchers evaluated a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the eqbE gene—both in conventional benchtop format and integrated into a microfluidic device—against triplex qPCR as the reference standard, using 68 guttural pouch lavage samples from convalescent horses. Both LAMP approaches demonstrated excellent diagnostic discrimination (ROC areas of 0.813 and 0.811 respectively) with no significant difference between formats, though the microfluidic device detected marginally more positive samples (31/64) compared to benchtop LAMP (27/68) and substantially more than the qPCR reference (12/67). The microfluidic LAMP device's comparable sensitivity and specificity suggest practical utility as a point-of-care test, potentially enabling rapid identification of carrier horses during routine guttural pouch endoscopy without requiring laboratory infrastructure. Further validation in acute infection cases and field conditions would be necessary before clinical implementation, but this technology offers promise for improving biosecurity protocols and reducing strangles spread in equestrian facilities.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •A portable microfluidic LAMP device could enable rapid on-site detection of S. equi in suspected strangles cases, facilitating faster isolation decisions and reducing disease spread in multi-horse operations
- •The microfluidic device appears more sensitive than traditional qPCR lab testing, potentially identifying more carrier horses in recovery phase who might otherwise be missed
- •This technology could transform strangles management from a lab-dependent process to point-of-care diagnosis, though further validation in field conditions is needed before clinical adoption
Key Findings
- •The eqbE LAMP microfluidic device detected S. equi in 31/64 GPL specimens with ROC area of 0.811, showing comparable performance to benchtop LAMP (ROC area 0.813) with no significant difference (P = 0.97)
- •Benchtop eqbE LAMP detected 27/68 specimens as positive while triplex qPCR reference standard detected only 12/67 positive, indicating higher sensitivity of LAMP methods
- •The microfluidic device format maintains the diagnostic accuracy of benchtop LAMP while offering potential for point-of-care rapid testing development