Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP): a new generation of innovative gene amplification technique; perspectives in clinical diagnosis of infectious diseases

Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a powerful innovative gene amplification technique emerging as a simple rapid diagnostic tool for early detection and identification of microbial diseases. The whole procedure is very simple and rapid wherein the amplification can be completed in less than 1 h under isothermal conditions employing a set of six specially designed primers spanning eight distinct sequences of a target gene, by incubating all the reagents in a single tube. Gene amplification products can be detected by agarose gel electrophoresis as well as by real‐time monitoring in an inexpensive turbidimeter. Gene copy number can also be quantified with the help of a standard curve generated from different concentrations of gene copy number plotted against time of positivity with the help of a real‐time turbidimeter. Alternatively, gene amplification can be visualised by the naked eye either as turbidity or in the form of a colour change when SYBR Green I, a fluorescent dsDNA intercalating dye, is employed. LAMP does not require a thermal cycler and can be performed simply with a heating block and/or water bath. Considering the advantages of rapid amplification, simple operation and easy detection, LAMP has potential applications for clinical diagnosis as well as surveillance of infectious diseases in developing countries without requiring sophisticated equipment or skilled personnel. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.