Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute

3 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Immunology and Infection

Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children

Peiling Yap^1,2, Thomas Fürst^1,2, Ivan Müller^1,2, Susi Kriemler^1,2, Jürg Utzinger^1,2, Peter Steinmann^1,2

¹Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland, ²University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

Chronic infection with soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) causes malabsorption, stunting, and wasting in the growing child. Hence, it is plausible that these infections also reduce the physical fitness of children. Here, we visualize two techniques for the diagnosis of STHs and the 20-meter shuttle run test for assessing children's physical fitness.

Environment

A Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assay for Rapid Identification of Bemisia tabaci

Simon Blaser^1,2,3, Hanspeter Diem⁴, Andreas von Felten⁴, Morgan Gueuning¹, Michael Andreou⁵, Neil Boonham^6,7, Jennifer Tomlinson⁶, Pie Müller^2,3, Jürg Utzinger^2,3, Beatrice Frey¹, Jürg E. Frey¹, Andreas Bühlmann⁸

¹Department of Method Development and Analytics, Agroscope, ²Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, ³University of Basel, ⁴Swiss Federal Plant Protection Service, Federal Office for Agriculture, ⁵OptiGene Limited, ⁶Fera Science Limited, ⁷School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, ⁸Department of Plants and Plant Products, Agroscope

This paper reports the protocol for a rapid identification assay for Bemisia tabaci based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technology. The protocol requires minimal laboratory training and can, therefore, be implemented on-site at points of entry for plant imports such as seaports and airports.

Immunology and Infection

Field Postmortem Rabies Rapid Immunochromatographic Diagnostic Test for Resource-Limited Settings with Further Molecular Applications

Stephanie Mauti¹, Monique Léchenne², Service Naïssengar³, Abdallah Traoré⁴, Vessaly Kallo^5,6, Casimir Kouakou⁷, Emmanuel Couacy-Hymann⁷, Morgane Gourlaouen⁸, Céline Mbilo^9,10, Pati Patient Pyana¹¹, Enos Madaye³, Ibrahima Dicko⁴, Pascal Cozette¹, Paola De Benedictis⁸, Hervé Bourhy¹, Jakob Zinsstag^9,10, Laurent Dacheux¹

¹Unit Lyssavirus Epidemiology and Neuropathology, National Reference Center for Rabies and WHO Collaborating Center for Reference and Research on Rabies, Institut Pasteur, ²Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, ³Institut de Recherche en Elevage pour le Développement, ⁴Laboratoire Central Vétérinaire, ⁵Direction des Services Vétérinaires, ⁶Ecole Inter Etats de Sciences et de Médecine Vétérinaires de Dakar, ⁷Laboratoire Central Vétérinaire de Bingerville, Laboratoire National d'Appui au Développement Agricole Bingerville, ⁸FAO Reference Centre for Rabies, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, ⁹Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, ¹⁰University of Basel, ¹¹Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale

We present a complete protocol for postmortem diagnosis of animal rabies under field conditions using a rapid immunochromatographic diagnostic test (RIDT), from brain biopsy sampling to final interpretation. We also describe further applications using the device for molecular analysis and viral genotyping.