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Comparison of an rRNA-based and DNA-based nucleic acid amplification test for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in trachoma.
- Source :
-
The British journal of ophthalmology [Br J Ophthalmol] 2007 Mar; Vol. 91 (3), pp. 293-5. Date of Electronic Publication: 2006 Oct 18. - Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- Background/aim: The World Health Organisation (WHO) hopes to achieve global elimination of trachoma, still the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide, in part through mass antibiotic treatment. DNA-based nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are currently used to evaluate the success of treatment programmes by measuring the prevalence of C trachomatis infection. Some believe that newer ribosomal RNA (rRNA)-based tests may be much more sensitive since bacterial rRNA is present in amounts up to 10 000 times that of genomic DNA. Others believe that rRNA-based tests are instead less sensitive but more specific, due to the presence of dead or subviable organisms that the test may not detect. This study compares an rRNA-based test to a DNA-based test for the detection of ocular C trachomatis infection in children living in trachoma-endemic villages.<br />Methods: An rRNA-based amplification test and DNA-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed on swab specimens taken from the right upper tarsal conjunctiva of 56 children aged 0-10 years living in two villages in Amhara, Ethiopia.<br />Results: The rRNA-based test detected ocular C trachomatis infection in 35 (63%) subjects compared with 22 (39%) detected by PCR (McNemar's test, p = 0.0002). The rRNA-based test gave positive results for all subjects that were positive by PCR, and also detected infection in 13 (23%) additional subjects.<br />Conclusion: The rRNA-based test appears to have significantly greater sensitivity than PCR for the detection of ocular chlamydial infection in children in trachoma-endemic villages. Using the rRNA-based test, we may be able to detect infection that was previously missed with PCR. Past studies using DNA-based tests to assess prevalence of infectious trachoma following antibiotic treatment may have underestimated the true prevalence of infection.
- Subjects :
- Child
Child, Preschool
Chlamydia trachomatis genetics
Conjunctiva microbiology
DNA, Bacterial analysis
Female
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Male
Polymerase Chain Reaction methods
Reproducibility of Results
Trachoma microbiology
Chlamydia trachomatis isolation & purification
RNA, Bacterial analysis
RNA, Ribosomal analysis
Trachoma diagnosis
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0007-1161
- Volume :
- 91
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The British journal of ophthalmology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 17050583
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo.2006.099150