title: Recombinase polymerase amplification assay for rapid detection of Francisella tularensis.
abstract: Several real-time PCR approaches to develop field detection for Francisella tularensis, the infectious agent causing tularemia, have been explored. We report the development of a novel qualitative real-time isothermal recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay for use on a small ESEQuant Tube Scanner device. The analytical sensitivity and specificity were tested using a plasmid standard and DNA extracts from infected rabbit tissues. The assay showed a performance comparable to real-time PCR but reduced the assay time to 10 min. The rapid RPA method has great application potential for field use or point-of-care diagnostics.
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center, Department of Virology, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Euler
authors.forename: Yongjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomaso
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Escudero
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anda
authors.forename: Frank T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Hufert
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weidmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014406:Tularemia / Q000175:diagnosis*