Optimized DNA-based identification of Toxocara spp. eggs in soil and sand samples
Abstract Background Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati are globally distributed roundworms and causative agents of human toxocariasis, via ingestion of Toxocara eggs. Control of Toxocara infections is constrained by a lack of sensitive methods for screening of animal faeces and environmental samples p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04904-1 |
| _version_ | 1819069330375049216 |
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| author | Wojciech Jarosz Jean-Francois Durant Leonid Mwana Wa Bene Irenge Renata Fogt-Wyrwas Hanna Mizgajska-Wiktor Jean-Luc Gala |
| author_facet | Wojciech Jarosz Jean-Francois Durant Leonid Mwana Wa Bene Irenge Renata Fogt-Wyrwas Hanna Mizgajska-Wiktor Jean-Luc Gala |
| author_sort | Wojciech Jarosz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati are globally distributed roundworms and causative agents of human toxocariasis, via ingestion of Toxocara eggs. Control of Toxocara infections is constrained by a lack of sensitive methods for screening of animal faeces and environmental samples potentially contaminated by Toxocara eggs. In this work, a pre-analytical method for efficient extraction of DNA from Toxocara eggs in environmental samples was set up using our previously validated T. canis- and T. cati-specific quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). For this purpose, the influence of different methods for egg lysis, DNA extraction and purification for removal of PCR inhibitors were assessed on environmental samples. Methods To select the best egg disruption method, six protocols were compared on pure T. canis egg suspensions, including enzymatic lysis and thermal or mechanical disruption. Based on the selected best method, an analytical workflow was set up to compare two DNA extraction methods (FastDNA™ SPIN Kit for Soil versus DNeasy® PowerMax® Soil Kit) with an optional dilution and/or clean-up (Agencourt® AMPure®) step. This workflow was evaluated on 10-g soil and 10-g sand samples spiked with egg suspensions of T. canis (tenfold dilutions of 104 eggs in triplicate). The capacity of the different methods, used alone or in combination, to increase the ratio of positive tests was assessed. The resulting optimal workflow for processing spiked soil samples was then tested on environmental soil samples and compared with the conventional flotation-centrifugation and microscopic examination of Toxocara eggs. Results The most effective DNA extraction method for Toxocara eggs in soil samples consisted in the combination of mechanical lysis of eggs using beads, followed by DNA extraction with the DNeasy® PowerMax® Soil Kit, and completed with an additional DNA clean-up step with AMPure® beads and a sample DNA dilution (1:10). This workflow exhibited a limit of detection of 4 and 46 T. canis eggs in 10-g sand and 10-g soil samples, respectively. Conclusions The pre-analytical flow process developed here combined with qPCR represents an improved, potentially automatable, and cost-effective method for the surveillance of Toxocara contamination in the environment. Graphical Abstract |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T16:48:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-94ab74d32ef84398b58381bfc68dd62f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T16:48:20Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-94ab74d32ef84398b58381bfc68dd62f2022-12-21T18:56:56ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052021-08-011411710.1186/s13071-021-04904-1Optimized DNA-based identification of Toxocara spp. eggs in soil and sand samplesWojciech Jarosz0Jean-Francois Durant1Leonid Mwana Wa Bene Irenge2Renata Fogt-Wyrwas3Hanna Mizgajska-Wiktor4Jean-Luc Gala5Department of Biology and Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Poznań University of Physical EducationCenter for Applied Molecular Technologies, Institute of Clinical and Experimental Research, Université Catholique de LouvainCenter for Applied Molecular Technologies, Institute of Clinical and Experimental Research, Université Catholique de LouvainDepartment of Biology and Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Poznań University of Physical EducationDepartment of Biology and Anatomy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Poznań University of Physical EducationCenter for Applied Molecular Technologies, Institute of Clinical and Experimental Research, Université Catholique de LouvainAbstract Background Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati are globally distributed roundworms and causative agents of human toxocariasis, via ingestion of Toxocara eggs. Control of Toxocara infections is constrained by a lack of sensitive methods for screening of animal faeces and environmental samples potentially contaminated by Toxocara eggs. In this work, a pre-analytical method for efficient extraction of DNA from Toxocara eggs in environmental samples was set up using our previously validated T. canis- and T. cati-specific quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). For this purpose, the influence of different methods for egg lysis, DNA extraction and purification for removal of PCR inhibitors were assessed on environmental samples. Methods To select the best egg disruption method, six protocols were compared on pure T. canis egg suspensions, including enzymatic lysis and thermal or mechanical disruption. Based on the selected best method, an analytical workflow was set up to compare two DNA extraction methods (FastDNA™ SPIN Kit for Soil versus DNeasy® PowerMax® Soil Kit) with an optional dilution and/or clean-up (Agencourt® AMPure®) step. This workflow was evaluated on 10-g soil and 10-g sand samples spiked with egg suspensions of T. canis (tenfold dilutions of 104 eggs in triplicate). The capacity of the different methods, used alone or in combination, to increase the ratio of positive tests was assessed. The resulting optimal workflow for processing spiked soil samples was then tested on environmental soil samples and compared with the conventional flotation-centrifugation and microscopic examination of Toxocara eggs. Results The most effective DNA extraction method for Toxocara eggs in soil samples consisted in the combination of mechanical lysis of eggs using beads, followed by DNA extraction with the DNeasy® PowerMax® Soil Kit, and completed with an additional DNA clean-up step with AMPure® beads and a sample DNA dilution (1:10). This workflow exhibited a limit of detection of 4 and 46 T. canis eggs in 10-g sand and 10-g soil samples, respectively. Conclusions The pre-analytical flow process developed here combined with qPCR represents an improved, potentially automatable, and cost-effective method for the surveillance of Toxocara contamination in the environment. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04904-1Toxocara canisToxocara catiHelminth eggsLimit of detectionSoilSand |
| spellingShingle | Wojciech Jarosz Jean-Francois Durant Leonid Mwana Wa Bene Irenge Renata Fogt-Wyrwas Hanna Mizgajska-Wiktor Jean-Luc Gala Optimized DNA-based identification of Toxocara spp. eggs in soil and sand samples Parasites & Vectors Toxocara canis Toxocara cati Helminth eggs Limit of detection Soil Sand |
| title | Optimized DNA-based identification of Toxocara spp. eggs in soil and sand samples |
| title_full | Optimized DNA-based identification of Toxocara spp. eggs in soil and sand samples |
| title_fullStr | Optimized DNA-based identification of Toxocara spp. eggs in soil and sand samples |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimized DNA-based identification of Toxocara spp. eggs in soil and sand samples |
| title_short | Optimized DNA-based identification of Toxocara spp. eggs in soil and sand samples |
| title_sort | optimized dna based identification of toxocara spp eggs in soil and sand samples |
| topic | Toxocara canis Toxocara cati Helminth eggs Limit of detection Soil Sand |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04904-1 |
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