{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,29]],"date-time":"2025-11-29T07:36:16Z","timestamp":1764401776308},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene","issue":"5","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2018,5,9]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Defining the optimal diagnostic tools for evaluating onchocerciasis elimination efforts in areas co-endemic for other filarial nematodes is imperative. This study compared three published polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods: the <jats:italic>Onchocerca volvulus<\/jats:italic>\u2013specific qPCR-O150, the pan-filarial qPCR melt curve analysis (MCA), and the O150-PCR enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) currently used for vector surveillance in skin snip biopsies (skin snips) collected from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The pan-filarial qPCR-MCA was compared with species-specific qPCRs for <jats:italic>Loa loa<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Mansonella perstans<\/jats:italic>. Among the 471 skin snips, 47.5%, 43.5%, and 27.0% were <jats:italic>O. volvulus<\/jats:italic> positive by qPCR-O150, qPCR-MCA, and O150-PCR ELISA, respectively. Using qPCR-O150 as the comparator, the sensitivity and specificity of qPCR-MCA were 89.3% and 98.0%, respectively, whereas for O150-PCR ELISA, they were 56.7% and 100%, respectively. Although qPCR-MCA identified the presence of <jats:italic>L. loa<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Mansonella<\/jats:italic> spp. in skin snips, species-specific qPCRs had greater sensitivity and were needed to identify <jats:italic>M. perstans<\/jats:italic>. Most of the qPCR-MCA misclassifications occurred in mixed infections. The reduced sensitivity of O150-PCR ELISA was associated with lower microfilaria burden and with lower amounts of <jats:italic>O. volvulus<\/jats:italic> DNA. Although qPCR-MCA identified most of the <jats:italic>O. volvulus<\/jats:italic>\u2013positive skin snips, it is not sufficiently robust to be used for stop-mass drug administration (MDA) evaluations in areas co-endemic for other filariae. Because O150-PCR ELISA missed 43.3% of qPCR-O150\u2013positive skin snips, the qPCR-O150 assay is more appropriate for evaluating skin snips of OV-16 + children in stop-MDA assessments. Although improving the sensitivity of the O150-PCR ELISA as an alternative to qPCR might be possible, qPCR-O150 offers distinct advantages aside from increased sensitivity.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.17-0809","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,4,3]],"date-time":"2018-04-03T07:00:32Z","timestamp":1522738832000},"page":"1427-1434","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":20,"title":["Comparison of PCR Methods for Onchocerca volvulus Detection in Skin Snip Biopsies from the Tshopo Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo"],"prefix":"10.4269","volume":"98","author":[{"given":"Jessica L.","family":"Prince-Guerra","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"American Society for Microbiology\/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Atlanta, Georgia;"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Vitaliano A.","family":"Cama","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia;"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nana","family":"Wilson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia;"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Elizabeth A.","family":"Thiele","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia;"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Josias","family":"Likwela","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Programme National de la Lutte contre l\u2019Onchocercose, Kisangani, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo;"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nestor","family":"Ndakala","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo;"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jacques","family":"Muzinga wa Muzinga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo;"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nicholas","family":"Ayebazibwe","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"African Field Epidemiology Network, Kampala, Uganda;"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Yassa D.","family":"Ndjakani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Global Health Protection, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo;"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Naomi A.","family":"Pitchouna","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Programme Nationale de la Lutte contre l\u2019Onchocercose, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo;"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Dieudonne","family":"Mumba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institut National de Recherche Biom\u00e9dicale, Kinshasa, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo;"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Antoinette K.","family":"Tshefu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ecole de Sant\u00e9 Publique, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Guilherme","family":"Ogawa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia;"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Paul T.","family":"Cantey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, 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