Evaluation of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) for Rapid Detection ofCampylobacter jejuni

In recent years, the worldwide incidence of diarrheal diseases caused by Campylobacter jejuni has been increasing, causing large-scale outbreaks in developing countries, which added to the capacity of the microorganism to cause Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), increasing the need for rapid and timely diagnosis to stop and prevent outbreaks. In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay based on the cdtC gene was developed and evaluated for the rapid detection of C. jejuni , using 91 strains for the standardization and validation. The LAMP assay was compared to whole-genome sequencing as the gold standard. The LAMP assay for C. jejuni showed a sensitivity of 100% (CI: 90.94 - 100%), a specificity of 100% (CI: 89.56 - 100%), a positive predictive value of 100% (CI: 90.94 - 100%) and a negative predictive value of 100% (CI: 89.56 - 100%). The assay demonstrated strong agreement between the LAMP assay and genomic sequencing (kappa value = 1). The LAMP assay based on the cdtC gene is a method that provides reliable and rapid results, with high sensitivity and specificity for the identification of C. jejuni , and is considered a suitable alternative for the diagnosis of diarrheal infections by this pathogen in low-income countries.