Comparison of PCR and LAMP in the detection of Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever Borreliae in Patient DNA Samples

Background and Objectives: Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is transmitted via bites of the soft tick Ornithodoros spp. In Iran, definitive confirmation of relapsing fever still relies on observation of the spirochetes in peripheral blood of febrile patients using dark field microscopy or Giemsa-stained blood smears. In this study, the glpQ-LAMP and glpQ-PCR assays were used to detect TBRF Borreliae in DNAs of sera from patients with acute febrile illness collected from the endemic areas of Iran.Materials and Methods: A total of 39 serum samples with positive serologic test were obtained from patients in endemic areas of Iran and then, DNA extraction was performed. The extracted DNA samples were examined by glpQ-LAMP and glpQ-PCR along positive and negative controls. Visual analysis and agarose gel electrophoresis were used to detect amplification products in glpQ-LAMP and glpQ-PCR methods, respectively. Results:Visual analysis of the glp Q-LAMP reaction tubes showed a white turbidity corresponding to glpQ gene amplification in 11 patient DNA samples. Whereas agarose gel electrophoresis analysis didn’t show any amplification of a 219 bp fragment of glpQ gene in the extracted DNA. Conclusion: Comparing the glpQ-LAMP and glpQ-PCR assays indicated more sensitivity in glpQ-LAMP in the detection of TBRF Borreliae. In contrast to PCR, LAMP has duel advantages of being simple to carry out and cost-effective. So the glpQ-LAMP can be used in epidemiologic, clinical and research studies, especially in limited-resource regions.