Loop‐mediated isothermal amplification: Development, validation and application of simple and rapid assays for quantitative detection of species of Arcobacteraceae family‐ and species‐specific Aliarcobacter faecis and Aliarcobacter lanthieri

AIM: The family Arcobacteraceae formerly genus Arcobacter has recently been reclassified into six genera. Among nine species of the genus Aliarcobacter, Aliarcobacter faecis and Aliarcobacter lanthieri have been identified as emerging pathogens potentially cause health risks to humans and animals. This study was designed to develop/optimize, validate and apply Arcobacteraceae family‐ and two species‐specific (A. faecis and A. lanthieri) loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays to rapidly detect and quantify total number of cells in various environmental niches. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three sets of LAMP primers were designed from conserved and variable regions of 16S rRNA (family‐specific) and gyrB (species‐specific) genes. Optimized Arcobacteraceae family‐specific LAMP assay correctly amplified and detected 24 species, whereas species‐specific LAMP assays detected A. faecis and A. lanthieri reference strains as well as 91 pure and mixed culture isolates recovered from aquatic and faecal sources. The specificity of LAMP amplification of A. faecis and A. lanthieri was further confirmed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Assay sensitivities were tested using variable DNA concentrations extracted from simulated target species cells in an autoclaved agricultural water sample by achieving a minimum detection limit of 10 cells mL(−1) (10 fg). Direct DNA‐based quantitative detection, from agricultural surface water, identified A. faecis (17%) and A. lanthieri (1%) at a low frequency compared to family‐level (93%) with the concentration ranging from 2·1 × 10(1) to 2·2 × 10(5) cells 100 mL(−1). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these three DNA‐based rapid and cost‐effective novel LAMP assays are sensitive and can be completed in less than 40 min. They have potential for on‐site quantitative detection of species of family Arcobacteraceae, A. faecis and A. lanthieri in food, environmental and clinical matrices. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The newly developed LAMP assays are specific, sensitive, accurate with higher reproducibility that have potential to facilitate in a less equipped lab setting and can help in early quantitative detection and rate of prevalence in environmental niches. The assays can be adopted in the diagnostic labs and epidemiological studies.