Development of molecular-based screening test for hepatitis b virus in human plasma samples

Despite regular administration of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine in several countries, the mortality rate associated with HBV remains significant. The antiviral medications available for the treatment of HBV infection do not suffice for the serious complications related to chronic HBV infection. Additionally, the serological tests fail to detect early viral replication preventing early treatment response. Recently, many studies have demonstrated the significant advantages of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) over serological testing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), for the rapid detection of microbial pathogens. Here we developed a rapid, sensitive, and portable system-integrative LAMP assay for the detection of HBV DNA in plasma samples. The final optimized assay was achieved with an amplification time of less than 45 min at 62°C. The assay showed 100% specificity, 92.20% sensitivity, and a detection limit of 10 copies/µL in 77 HBV-positive plasma samples with known Cq values. Our results showed that the colorimetric LAMP assay is sensitive, efficient, and supremely reliable for rapid detection of HBV, and may be potentially used as a screening test in areas with poor laboratory facilities and limited resource availability.