Advancement of LAMP technologies for rapid and accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases

SUMMARY

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a type of isothermal nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). Compared to more traditional NAATs, like polymerase chain reaction (PCR), LAMP is run at one consistent temperature, utilizes four to six primers, and uses Bst polymerase. Some advantages that are provided by these differences are that LAMP has lower equipment requirements, resiliency to common PCR inhibitors, and a rapid time to result. Unfortunately, some disadvantages are also present due to these differences, such as more challenging primer design, reduced multiplexing capability, and difficulty with quantitation. Due to its unique characteristics, LAMP has proven to be an attractive option for molecular diagnostics in resource-limited, point-of-care, and near-patient testing settings. However, its adoption in clinical settings remains limited compared to its widespread use in research. In this review, we cover various detection methods within LAMP, recent advancements including extraction, multiplexing, and quantification, as well as key clinical applications of LAMP from a syndromic perspective. We also explore the commercial potential of LAMP and how it can be leveraged in resource-constrained settings and clinical laboratories, especially where early, affordable, and rapid diagnosis is essential.