title: Development and evaluation of a quantitative PCR assay for detection of Hepatozoon sp.
abstract: With the aim to improve current molecular diagnostic techniques of Hepatozoon sp. in carnivore mammals, we developed a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay with SYBR Green I((R)). The method, consisting of amplification of a 235bp fragment of the 18S rRNA gene, is able to detect at least 0.1fg of parasite DNA. Reproducible quantitative results were obtained over a range of 0.1ng-0.1fg of Hepatozoon sp. DNA. To assess the performance of the qPCR assay, DNA samples from dogs (140) and cats (50) were tested with either standard PCR or qPCR. Positive samples were always confirmed by partial sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene. Quantitative PCR was 15.8% more sensitive than standard PCR to detect H. canis in dogs. In cats, no infections were detected by standard PCR, compared to two positives by qPCR (which were infected by H. canis as shown by sequencing).
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Alcalá, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Spain. angel.criado@uah.es
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Criado-Fornelio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Buling
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Cunha-Filho
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ruas
authors.forename: N A R
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Farias
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rey-Valeiron
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pingret
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Etievant
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barba-Carretero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002415:Cats; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005784:Gene Amplification; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S