TY - JOUR
T1 - Non-Invasive Malaria Detection in Sub-Saharan Africa Using a DNA-Based Sensor System
AU - Juul-Kristensen, Trine
AU - Thiesen, Celine
AU - Haurum, Line Wulff
AU - Keller-Socin, Josephine Geertsen
AU - Lendamba, Romeo Wenceslas
AU - Zoleko Manego, Rella
AU - Betouke, Madeleine Euinice
AU - Knudsen, Birgitta R.
AU - Pareja, Eduardo
AU - Pareja-Tobes, Eduardo
AU - Labouriau, Rodrigo
AU - Ghyslain, Mombo-Ngoma
AU - Tesauro, Cinzia
PY - 2024/12
Y1 - 2024/12
N2 - Malaria poses a serious global health problem, with half the world population being at risk. Regular screening is crucial for breaking the transmission cycle and combatting the disease spreading. However, current diagnostic tools relying on blood samples face challenges in many malaria-epidemic areas. In the present study, we demonstrate the detection of the malaria-causing Plasmodium parasite in non-invasive saliva samples (N = 61) from infected individuals by combining a DNA-based Rolling-circle-Enhanced-Enzyme-Activity-Detection (REEAD) sensor system with a chemiluminescence readout that could be detected with an in-house-developed affordable and battery-powered portable reader. We successfully transferred the technology to sub-Saharan Africa, where the malaria burden is high, and demonstrated a proof of concept in a small study (N = 40) showing significant differences (p < 0.00001) between malaria-positive individuals (N = 33) and presumed asymptomatic negative individuals (N = 7) all collected in Gabon. This is the first successful application of the REEAD sensor system for the detection of malaria in saliva in a high-epidemic area and holds promise for the potential future use of REEAD for malaria diagnosis or surveillance based on non-invasive specimens in sub-Saharan Africa.
AB - Malaria poses a serious global health problem, with half the world population being at risk. Regular screening is crucial for breaking the transmission cycle and combatting the disease spreading. However, current diagnostic tools relying on blood samples face challenges in many malaria-epidemic areas. In the present study, we demonstrate the detection of the malaria-causing Plasmodium parasite in non-invasive saliva samples (N = 61) from infected individuals by combining a DNA-based Rolling-circle-Enhanced-Enzyme-Activity-Detection (REEAD) sensor system with a chemiluminescence readout that could be detected with an in-house-developed affordable and battery-powered portable reader. We successfully transferred the technology to sub-Saharan Africa, where the malaria burden is high, and demonstrated a proof of concept in a small study (N = 40) showing significant differences (p < 0.00001) between malaria-positive individuals (N = 33) and presumed asymptomatic negative individuals (N = 7) all collected in Gabon. This is the first successful application of the REEAD sensor system for the detection of malaria in saliva in a high-epidemic area and holds promise for the potential future use of REEAD for malaria diagnosis or surveillance based on non-invasive specimens in sub-Saharan Africa.
KW - diagnosis
KW - malaria
KW - rolling circle amplification
KW - saliva
KW - topoisomerase 1
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85213080318&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/s24247947
DO - 10.3390/s24247947
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 39771686
SN - 1424-8220
VL - 24
JO - Sensors
JF - Sensors
IS - 24
M1 - 7947
ER -