Evaluation of a Hydrogel-Based Diagnostic Approach for the Point-of-Care Based Detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Sumudu R Perera,
Ali Taheri,
Nurul H Khan,
Rajinder P Parti,
Stephanie Stefura,
Pauline Skiba,
Jason P Acker,
Irene Martin,
Anthony Kusalik,
Jo-Anne R Dillon
Affiliations
Sumudu R Perera
Department of Biochemistry Microbiology and Immunology, 2D01 Health Science Building, 107 Wiggins Road, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N5E5, Canada
Ali Taheri
Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization—International Vaccine Centre, 120 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N5E3, Canada
Nurul H Khan
Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization—International Vaccine Centre, 120 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N5E3, Canada
Rajinder P Parti
Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization—International Vaccine Centre, 120 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N5E3, Canada
Stephanie Stefura
Aquila Diagnostic Systems Inc., 4-034 National Institute for Nanotechnology, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, AB T6G2M9, Canada
Pauline Skiba
Aquila Diagnostic Systems Inc., 4-034 National Institute for Nanotechnology, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, AB T6G2M9, Canada
Jason P Acker
Aquila Diagnostic Systems Inc., 4-034 National Institute for Nanotechnology, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, AB T6G2M9, Canada
Irene Martin
National Microbiology Laboratory, Streptococcus and STI Unit, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3R2, Canada
Anthony Kusalik
Department of Computer Science, 176 Thorvaldson Building, 110 Science Place, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N5C9, Canada
Jo-Anne R Dillon
Department of Biochemistry Microbiology and Immunology, 2D01 Health Science Building, 107 Wiggins Road, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N5E5, Canada
Eleven primer pairs were developed for the identification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The sensitivity and specificity of these primers were evaluated by Real Time (RT)-PCR melt curve analyses with DNA from 145 N. gonorrhoeae isolates and 40 other Neisseria or non-Neisseria species. Three primer pairs were further evaluated in a hydrogel-based RT-PCR detection platform, using DNA extracted from 50 N. gonorrhoeae cultures. We observed 100% sensitivity and specificity in the hydrogel assay, confirming its potential as a point-of-care test (POCT) for N. gonorrhoeae diagnosis.
