Development and application of a recombinase polymerase amplification(RPA) point-of-care test for the detection of Giardiasis in resource limited settings

Giardiasis is a significant gastro-intestinal disease caused by Giardia lamblia with over 50 million children infected annually. In tropical regions, giardiasis is much under-reported as access to current point-of-care (POC) tests is limited and the available faecal-antigen tests have much lower sensitivity than real-time PCR assays, the diagnostic ‘gold standard’.

With advances in isothermal DNA amplification technology, we intend to refine and adapt a novel field-appropriate, POC test based on recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) useful in resource-poor settings and able to differentiate infection intensities. Validated on laboratory reference material, an external evaluation will be undertaken in a prospective cross-sectional survey in Uganda. A combined (multiplex) RPA for Giardia-S.mansoni will also be tested.