title: A pentaplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of four species of soil-transmitted helminths.
abstract: Soil-transmitted helminth infections remain a major public health burden in low- and middle-income countries. The traditional diagnosis by microscopic examination of fecal samples is insensitive and time-consuming. In this study, a pentaplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was evaluated for the simultaneous detection of Ancylostoma, Necator americanus, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Strongyloides stercoralis. The results were compared with those obtained by conventional parasitological diagnostic methods. Real-time PCR was positive in 48 of 77 samples (62.3%) and microscopic examination was positive in six samples (7.8%) only (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the real-time PCR assay described in this study provides a specific and sensitive diagnostic tool for the detection of these four helminth species in epidemiological studies and monitoring of treatment programs.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang, Malaysia. madihah_basuni@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Madihah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Basuni
authors.forename: Jamail
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muhi
authors.forename: Nurulhasanah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Othman
authors.forename: Jaco J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Verweij
authors.forename: Maimunah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Noorizan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miswan
authors.forename: Anizah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahumatullah
authors.forename: Farhanah Abdul
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Aziz
authors.forename: Nurul Shazalina
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Zainudin
authors.forename: Rahmah
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Noordin
mesh_terms: D000722:Ancylostoma / Q000235:genetics; D000724:Ancylostomiasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000818:Animals; D001196:Ascariasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017164:Ascaris lumbricoides / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D017221:Necator americanus / Q000235:genetics; D009332:Necatoriasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D017171:Strongyloides stercoralis / Q000235:genetics; D013322:Strongyloidiasis / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan