Advancing Chikungunya Diagnosis: A Cost-Effective and Rapid Visual employing Loop-mediated isothermal reaction

The diagnosis of Chikungunya (CHIKV), along with the simultaneous monitoring of virus circulation in the population or vectors, is essential for global health. Although effective diagnostic methods for CHIKV, such as RT-qPCR, exist, their utilization is constrained by high costs. With the aim of contributing to the field of di-agnostics, we have developed a diagnostic assay using isothermal amplification technology with visually interpretable results. This test can detect the virus within a maximum timeframe of 30 minutes. The detection limit of RT-LAMP CHIKV was found to be 66 copies of RNA molecules (Ct approximately equal to 31.28), and no cross-reactivity with other arboviruses was observed. During test validation, our assay demonstrated a sensitivity of 80.43%, speci-ficity of 100%, and an overall accuracy of 88.89%. By utilizing more cost-effective reagents and equipment compared to RT-qPCR, this test holds the potential for broader application and enhanced accessibility, partic-ularly in point-of-care settings.