Elucidating transmission dynamics for soil-transmitted helminths based on environmental DNA analysis

目的：改进土壤传播蠕虫特异性DNA检测方法。通过对数据库中引起STH的寄生虫的DNA序列进行分析，我们开发了适合STH检测的探针。利用线粒体COX1基因，设计了土壤样品环境DNA检测方法。特定的引物和探针在扩增DNA的预期短长度（约100至200 bp）内设计。使用从成虫（靶和非靶）中提取的DNA进行的测试表明，该分析方法具有高特异性。但在灵敏度上还有待提高，对于检测少量的靶DNA通常发现的是eDNA。我们现在正在研究一种基于多探针检测的新技术，该技术可以在不损失特异性的情况下提高检测的灵敏度（正如我们的团队在检测水样中毒舌蛇的eDNA中所报告的那样）。

Goal: Improvement of soil transmitted helminths-specific DNA detection method.The analyses of DNA sequences of the parasite species causing STH retrieved from the database allowed us to develop suitable probes for STH detection.We designed the environmental DNA detection assay for soil samples, using mitochondrial COX1 gene. The specific sets of primers and probes were designed within an expected short length of the amplified DNA (about 100 to 200 bp).Tests using DNA extracted from adult worms (target and non-target) showed the assays are suitable with a high specificity. However, it needs improvement on the sensitivity, for detection of small quantities of target DNA usually found eDNA.We are now working on a new technique based in multi-probe detection which increases the sensitivity of the assay without loss in specificity (as reported by our group in detection of Opisthorchis viverrini in eDNA from water samples).