Short courses on DNA detection and amplification for public health in central and South America: The democratization of molecular biology

Harris, Eva; López, Martha; Arévalo, Jorge; Bellatin, Jaime; Belli, Alejandro; Morán, Josefa; Orrego, Cristián

doi:10.1016/0307-4412(93)90004-j

Cited by 10 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Therefore, it is likely that in these cases the virus was neutralized, which prevented its isolation but not its detection by RT-PCR. The other 4 discordant cases probably resulted from improper specimen transportation and storage, which compromised the ability of the virus to be isolated, rather than from false-positive PCR results, since all the necessary precautions were taken to avoid contamination of the samples during the PCR procedure 24,25 and the results were repeated several times on different days with identical results. Thus, we believe that the RT-PCR is actually more sensitive than viral isolation under these conditions, and equally specific.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of molecular typing techniques in the 1998 dengue epidemic in Nicaragua.

Balmaseda¹,

Sandoval²,

Pérez³

et al. 1999

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. This report presents the results of applying the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to the analysis of clinical specimens during the 1998 dengue epidemic in Nicaragua. The RT-PCR was validated through comparison with viral isolation, resulting in a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 90%. In-country application of the RT-PCR permitted the rapid identification of dengue-3 virus as the cause of the epidemic at the beginning of 1998 and the detection of the reintroduction of dengue-2 virus in the middle of the year. Nineteen isolates of dengue-3 and one of dengue-2 were characterized using the restriction site-specific (RSS)-PCR technique. This showed that the dengue-3 strain belonged to the ''Sri Lanka'' subtype and that the dengue-2 strain belonged to the ''Jamaica'' subtype, both of which have been associated with hemorrhagic dengue in the Americas. The application of these simple PCR-based strain typing methods in a country endemic for dengue virus infections can help to characterize the transmission dynamics of this important emerging infectious disease problem and provide this information to local health authorities in a timely manner so that appropriate control measures can be implemented.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of molecular typing techniques in the 1998 dengue epidemic in Nicaragua.

Balmaseda¹,

Sandoval²,

Pérez³

et al. 1999

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…10 Because of the molecular specificity of PCR, detection and genetic characterization of Leishmania can be carried out simultaneously. 11,12 The extensive literature on the molecular diagnosis of ACL has provided various alternatives, from the use of primers that amplify sequences of specific Leishmania species to primers that amplify sequences common to all the species. 13,14 The objective of this study was to analyze different PCR primers that are commonly used in epidemiological studies for the detection of Leishmania, and to compare them in the diagnosis of ACL in biological samples taken from dogs and humans in an endemic region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of different primes for PCR-based diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Oliveira¹,

Lonardoni²,

Teodoro³

et al. 2011

Braz J Infect Dis

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze different primers that are commonly used in epidemiological studies for the detection of Leishmania DNA by PCR, and to compare them to the conventional direct parasite search for American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) diagnosis. Material and methods: Five pairs of primers, four of them derived from Leishmania kDNA sequences (MP3H-MP1L; B1-B2; LBF1-LBR1; 13A-13B), and one derived from the SL RNA (mini-exon) gene repeat (LU5A-LB3C), reported previously, were used. Results: The MP3H-MP1L primers were the best at amplifying the DNA, detecting 2 fg of Leishmania spp. DNA. The 13A-13B primers presented the worst performance, detecting 512 x 10 3 fg of DNA. Conclusion: The wide variation in the analytical sensitivity of the primers used in the PCR, and the significant differences from the conventional method of ACL diagnosis found in this study, emphasize the importance of standardizing the PCR technique, analyzing sensitivity, and selecting suitable oligonucleotide primers.

show abstract

“…This group of young, progressive researchers craved the chance to teach and apply their scientific knowledge in a way that would make a concrete difference in the lives of developing‐country residents. For 10 years, they did so through the AMB/ATT program, following Harris's initial vision, by donating their time and seeking small grants and individual donations 6–8 . Through conducting customized training workshops and simplifying technologies onsite, they taught molecular biology‐based disease diagnosis, epidemiology, and control of infectious diseases to public health researchers and educators in Nicaragua, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Guatemala.…”

Section: Background: Ssi's Genesismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For 10 years, they did so through the AMB/ATT program, following Harris's initial vision, by donating their time and seeking small grants and individual donations. [6][7][8] Through conducting customized training workshops and simplifying technologies onsite, they taught molecular biology-based disease diagnosis, epidemiology, and control of infectious diseases to public health researchers and educators in Nicaragua, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Guatemala. They also channeled hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of donated laboratory equipment, supplies, and reagents to Latin American researchers and institutions.…”

Section: Background: Ssi's Genesismentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable Transfer of Biotechnology to Developing Countries

Coloma

Harris

2008

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Poverty and social inequalities have powerfully sculpted not only the distribution of infectious and other diseases but also the course of disease in those affected. The lack of proper diagnosis and access to adequate health services only compounds the problem. In low-resource settings, the burden of disease can be reduced if the basic human and material resources exist to support the use of low-cost interventions by appropriately trained personnel. For 20 years, the Sustainable Sciences Institute has built scientific capacity in developing countries to recognize, prevent, and respond to the threats posed by disease.

show abstract

Short courses on DNA detection and amplification for public health in central and South America: The democratization of molecular biology

Cited by 10 publications

References 8 publications

Application of molecular typing techniques in the 1998 dengue epidemic in Nicaragua.

Application of molecular typing techniques in the 1998 dengue epidemic in Nicaragua.

Comparison of different primes for PCR-based diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Sustainable Transfer of Biotechnology to Developing Countries

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About