Affinity molecular assay for detecting Candida albicans using chitin affinity and RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a.

ABSTRACT: Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) pose a significant threat to immunocompromised individuals, leading to considerable morbidity and mortality. Prompt and accurate diagnosis is essential for effective treatment. Here we develop a rapid molecular diagnostic method that involves three steps: fungal enrichment using affinity-magnetic separation (AMS), genomic DNA extraction with silicon hydroxyl magnetic beads, and detection through a one-pot system. This method, optimized to detect 30 CFU/mL of C. albicans in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples within 2.5 h, is approximately 100 times more sensitive than microscopy-based staining. Initial validation using clinical samples showed 93.93% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and high predictive values, while simulated tests demonstrated 95%

SUBMITTER: Shen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11519397 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature