Development of a quantitative PCR assay for the detection and enumeration of a potentially ciguatoxin-producing dinoflagellate, Gambierdiscus lapillus (Gonyaulacales, Dinophyceae).
PLoS One
; 14(11): e0224664, 2019.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31730656
ABSTRACT
Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is an illness contracted through the ingestion of seafood containing ciguatoxins. It is prevalent in tropical regions worldwide, including in Australia. Ciguatoxins are produced by some species of Gambierdiscus. Therefore, screening of Gambierdiscus species identification through quantitative PCR (qPCR), along with the determination of species toxicity, can be useful in monitoring potential ciguatera risk in these regions. In Australia, CFP is prevalent in tropical Queensland and increasingly in sub-tropical regions of Australia, but has a report rate of approximately 10%. Yet the identity, distribution and abundance of ciguatoxin producing Gambierdiscus spp. is largely unknown. In this study, we developed a rapid qPCR assay to quantify the presence and abundance of Gambierdiscus lapillus, a likely ciguatoxic species first described from Australia. We assessed the specificity and efficiency of the qPCR assay. The assay was tested on 25 environmental samples from the Heron Island reef in the southern Great Barrier Reef, a ciguatera endemic region, to determine the presence and patchiness of this species across samples from Chnoospora sp., Padina sp. and Sargassum sp. macroalgal hosts.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Dinoflagellida
/
Ciguatoxins
/
Endemic Diseases
/
Ciguatera Poisoning
/
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Etiology_studies
/
Evaluation_studies
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Oceania
Language:
En
Journal:
PLoS One
Journal subject:
CIENCIA
/
MEDICINA
Year:
2019
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: