Produces quick diagnostic rods for parasitic diseases

Associate Professor-Doctor Dinh Thi Bich Lan, Institute of Natural Resources, Environment and Biotechnology, Hue University and co-authors have both researched and produced into a diagnostic tool to quickly diagnose Toxoplasma gondii parasites in humans. and cattle.

This topic was awarded the first prize in the Thua Thien-Hue Science and Technology Innovation Award for the sixth time, 2012.

This is also the first time in the country, the research team has applied the gene cloning technique in veterinary field such as research, production of recombinant antigen SAG2 is an important raw material to produce specific antibodies and products. export into a quick diagnostic tool for parasitic diseases caused by Toxoplasma gondii in humans and cattle.

Principle of operation of the diagnostic rod, quite simple: when the serum (50 μl) is diluted with PBS at the ratio of 1: 2 on the sample buffer through the position of specimen examination, the serum will penetrate into the sample buffer and transfer translate to conjugate buffer.

Test strips

In the conjugate buffer, antibodies (if present in serum) will bind to the combined antigen, the antibody-antibody complex will continue to penetrate the nitrocelluose membrane and will combine with the antigen that has been attached to the site. The test line appears purple and purple in the test line. On the other hand, the combined antigen will combine with the specific antibodies that are already attached to the control line to appear purple in the control line.

If simultaneous color appears at the test line and the control line, the reaction is considered positive; if only color appears in the control line, the reaction is considered negative; Results will be determined within 15 minutes.

This diagnosis is not only able to detect antibodies against all four strains of Toxoplasma gondii, but can also distinguish Toxoplasma from Neospora. This result is very important, because some animals such as dogs, cattle, sheep, and horses can be naturally infected and both Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora.

In Thua Thien-Hue, the authors used a rapid diagnostic to study the situation of Toxoplasma gondii infection in cats and pigs, the results showed that: Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity in cats is very high (60%). and the average pig is 38.66%.

Methods of diagnosing Toxoplasma gondii parasites with diagnostic rods have many advantages over previous methods. For example, ELISA methods and PCR methods, often take a lot of time and effort and are required to have specialized, expensive equipment that can be implemented.

Meanwhile, using the above diagnostic rods allows for rapid diagnosis, high sensitivity and specificity, low cost, no need to use expensive equipment, no need of high-level technicians but can still Accurately diagnose the disease in or outside the laboratory, in remote areas and even in breeding facilities.