Loop-mediated isothermal amplification: an emerging technology for detection of fish and shellfish pathogens

Area of Science:

• Aquatic animal health
• Disease diagnostics
• Aquaculture management

Background:

• Fish and shellfish diseases pose significant threats to aquaculture sustainability and economic viability.
• Early disease diagnosis is crucial for effective management strategies in aquaculture.
• Traditional diagnostic methods are often time-consuming and require specialized expertise, limiting their practical application in production settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the application of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for detecting aquaculture-associated pathogens.
• To highlight LAMP as a novel, sensitive, and rapid diagnostic technique for fish and shellfish diseases.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on LAMP applications in aquaculture diagnostics.
• Discussion of LAMP's potential compared to traditional and other molecular methods like polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Main Results:

• LAMP has been successfully employed for detecting a range of aquaculture pathogens, including bacteria (e.g., Edwardsiella tarda, E. ictaluri, Nocardia seriolae), parasites (e.g., Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae), and viruses (e.g., white spot syndrome virus, infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus).
• LAMP demonstrates high sensitivity and rapidity, making it suitable for on-site diagnostics in aquaculture.

Conclusions:

• Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a promising tool for the rapid and sensitive detection of diverse pathogens affecting farmed aquatic species.
• The adoption of LAMP technology can significantly enhance disease management practices and contribute to the sustainability of the aquaculture industry.