Current and Future Advances in the Detection and Surveillance of Biosecurity-Relevant Equine Bacterial Diseases Using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP).
Authors: Knox Alexandra, Zerna Gemma, Beddoe Travis
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary The globalisation of equine trade has dramatically increased disease transmission risks, yet conventional diagnostic methods frequently fail to detect critical bacterial pathogens before outbreaks become established. Knox, Zerna, and Beddoe's 2023 review evaluates loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) as an alternative to traditional gold-standard techniques, examining its application across biosecurity-relevant equine bacterial diseases. LAMP offers significant practical advantages over conventional PCR and culture-based methods: the assay operates at constant temperature (typically 60–65°C), requires minimal equipment, delivers results within 15–60 minutes, and maintains sensitivity and specificity comparable to established diagnostics—making it particularly suited for field deployment and rapid decision-making during disease incidents. The authors assess current LAMP assay development for diseases including strangles (*Streptococcus equi* subspecies *equi*), glanders (*Burkholderia mallei*), and other reportable conditions, alongside emerging technological refinements such as portable fluorescence detection and smartphone-integrated readouts. For equine professionals involved in biosecurity protocols, competition management, and trade certification, LAMP represents a tangible opportunity to accelerate disease identification and implement containment measures with greater confidence and speed than current laboratory-dependent pathways allow.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •LAMP technology offers faster results than traditional diagnostic methods, enabling quicker identification and response to disease outbreaks on your property
- •Newer LAMP-based diagnostic approaches may improve surveillance capabilities for biosecurity-relevant equine diseases, helping protect your herd during import/export movements
- •Consider familiarizing yourself with LAMP diagnostic options available through your veterinarian, as this technology represents the current frontier in equine disease detection
Key Findings
- •Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has proven to be a reliable, rapid, and accessible diagnostic and surveillance tool for equine bacterial diseases
- •Current gold-standard diagnostic techniques have shown inadequacies in detecting equine bacterial diseases, necessitating newer technology
- •LAMP assay developments have been established for biosecurity-relevant equine bacterial diseases with potential for outbreak prevention