Evaluation of Ssp I polymerase chain reaction assay in the detection of Wuchereria bancrofti infection in field‐collected Culex quinquefasciatus and its application in the transmission studies of lymphatic filariasis

Abstract

Abstract: Ssp I polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, developed for Wuchereria bancrofti, was evaluated for its sensitivity in detecting infection in the vector, Culex quinquefasciatus, in the field. The evaluation of the assay was carried out using pools of vector mosquitoes collected from areas under filariasis survey and control trial projects, in comparison with the standard dissection and microscopy technique. In the filariasis survey area the infection rate as determined by the dissection and microscopy technique was 0.89% whereas it was 1.7% by PCR assay. In the Bacillus sphaericus trial area the infection rates as assessed by the conventional technique were 6.6 and 4.5% in the treated and check areas, respectively, whereas those obtained by the PCR assay were 4.7 to 2.2%. Although the infection rates determined by the PCR assay are slightly higher or lower than the rates obtained by the conventional technique, the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.451 for filariasis survey area, and P=0.203 and 0.161 for B. sphaericus trial area). When the pool size of Cx. quinquefasciatus was increased to 50 the sensitivity of the PCR was affected. The changes in infection rates as influenced by the antifilarial chemotherapy were similar when determined by PCR assay and the standard method. The major advantage of the PCR assay over the conventional technique is that thousands of mosquitoes can be processed within a short duration and this attribute has potential application in rapid assessment of disease prevalence and monitoring of the transmission dynamics.