Universal conventional and real-time PCR diagnosis tools for Sarcoptes scabiei

[Background] The mite Sarcoptes scabiei has a known host-range of over 100 mammal species including humans. One of the prime objectives of the Sarcoptes-World Molecular Network (WMN) is to design and develop universal Sarcoptes PCR-based diagnosis methods.[Methods] We describe here for the first time two universal mitochondrial-based diagnosis methods: (i) conventional end-point PCR and (ii) TaqMan real-time PCR. The design of both of these universal diagnosis methods was based on Sarcoptes samples collected from 23 host species in 14 countries.[Results] These methods, based on skin scrapings, were successfully used to etiologically confirm the diagnosis of different clinical degrees of sarcoptic mange in 48 animals belonging to six species. These universal PCR-based diagnosis methods are highly specific, technically sensitive and simple, and are based on the amplification of 135 bp from the Mitochondrial 16S rDNA. The method based on TaqMan real-time qPCR was more sensitive than the conventional end-point PCR.[Conclusions] Two universal PCR-based diagnosis methods for S. scabiei were successfully designed and applied; one based on conventional end-point PCR and the other on TaqMan real-time PCR. We recommend further testing and the application of these new universal methods worldwide.This study was funded by i. the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR), ii. the Project PRIN Genomics and host-pathogen interactions: a model study in the One-Health perspective, and iii. the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University through the research group (project number RGP_020).Peer reviewe

Erratum: Universal conventional and realtime PCR diagnosis tools for Sarcoptes scabiei

After the publication of this work [1], we noticed an error in the Methods Section. The reported sequence of the ProSc “5′-GGTAACTTGTATGAAGGGACTAACTAAA-3′” is not the correct one. The correct one is “ProSc: 5′-GGTAACTTGTATGAAGGRAYTAACTAAA-3′”.This study was funded by i. the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR), ii. the Project PRIN Genomics and host-pathogen interactions: a model study in the One-Health perspective, and iii. the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University through the research group (project number RGP_020).Peer reviewe