Kosum Chansiri

A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and a single-tube multiplex PCR assay was modified for typing of dengue virus in different geographical areas of Thailand during 2000-2001. A set of primers (D1 and D2) was used to generate the RT-PCR product of 511 bp in size which subsequently underwent a single-tube multiplex PCR amplification using the highly specific primers for each of the dengue virus serotypes (D1, TS1, TS2, TS3 and DEN4). The PCR products of 482, 119, 290 and 392 bp in size were generated for dengue virus serotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Each set of specific primers showed no amplification of non-specific and non-target PCR products from human genomic DNA. The method was applied for investigation of 637 human blood samples in Thailand during 2000-2001 and found that 71, 43, 28, and 43 patients were classified as having a single infection with serotypes 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Multiple infections with two or more dengue virus serotypes were also detected.

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay based on a highly repeated DNA sequence found in Wuchereria bancrofti (SspI repeat) has been modified for the survey of bancroftian filariasis in expatriate workers (Myamese, Karen and Mon) from Myanmar where human filariasis is endemic. The PCR was very sensitive with the ability to detect the presence of as little as 10 pg of parasite DNA. The primers used in this PCR also showed highly specific amplification of parasite DNA without the presence of non-specific and non-target PCR products such as Brugia malayi, Plasmodium falciparum and human DNA. The primers were used to investigate filariasis in four provinces in the central and western Thailand, Samut Songkram, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Pathom and Tak during 1997-2001. Among them, Tak and Ratchaburi are the only endemic areas of bancroftian filariasis. In this field study, 1,299 human blood samples (501 from Samut Songkram, 510 from Ratchaburi, 109 from Nakhon Pathom, and 179 from Tak) were collected and screened by PCR. The result showed that 1, 2, 3, and 33 patients from Samut Songkram, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Pathom, and Tak respectively were infected with W. bancrofti. These numbers were corresponded to the prevalence rate of infection of 0.2, 0.4, 2.8, and 18.5%, respectively. The PCR was able to detect the third-stage infectious larvae (L3) from Culex quinquefasciatus, mosquito vector of the W. bancrofti, that was experimentally fed to infected patient. The PCR screening of each of field mosquito pools from two endemic areas, Ratchaburi and Tak, showed that no L3 of W. bancrofti was detected.

Mosquitoes, Mansonia indiana Edwards, 1930, were collected from non-endemic area of human lymphatic filariasis and tested for their susceptibility of infection using nocturnally subperiodic Brugia malayiBuckley & Edeson, 1956. Three cats naturally infected with B. malayi were used in the experiment for mosquitoes feeding. The data revealed that the susceptibility of mosquito infection ranged from 30 to 70%. The results also revealed that the susceptibility rates were not linearly correlated to the microfilarial densities in the cat at the time of feeding. The microfilarial density in cats ranged from 15 to 27 per 10 μl of blood whereas the mean number of third stage larvae in the infective mosquitoes ranged from 21.6 to 26.8. In addition, statistical analysis showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) between the mean number of third-stage larvae in mosquitoes and the density of microfilaria in cats. The study indicated that Ma. indiana, collected from non-endemic areas, is capable for transmitting the nocturnally subperiodic B. malayi.