Rapid and Accurate Species-Specific PCR for the Identification of Lethal Chironex Box Jellyfish in Thailand

Nuankanya Sathirapongsasuti, Kasetsin Khonchom, Thunyaporn Poonsawat, Mitila Pransilpa, Supaporn Ongsara, Usawadee Detsri, Suwimon Bungbai, Sam-ang Lawanangkoon, Worawut Pattanaporkrattana and Satariya Trakulsrichai
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Nuankanya Sathirapongsasuti: Section of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Kasetsin Khonchom: Section of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Thunyaporn Poonsawat: Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center, Central Gulf of Thailand, Chumphon 86000, Thailand
Mitila Pransilpa: Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center, Eastern Gulf of Thailand, Rayong 21170, Thailand
Supaporn Ongsara: Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center, Lower Andaman, Trang 92150, Thailand
Usawadee Detsri: Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center, Lower Andaman, Trang 92150, Thailand
Suwimon Bungbai: Koh Kut Hospital, Trat 23170, Thailand
Sam-ang Lawanangkoon: Koh Phangan Hospital, Surat Thani 84280, Thailand
Worawut Pattanaporkrattana: Koh Phangan Hospital, Surat Thani 84280, Thailand
Satariya Trakulsrichai: Ramathibodi Poison Center, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 18, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Box jellyfish are extremely potent venom-producing marine organisms. While they have been found worldwide, the highest health burden has been anticipated to be the tropical Indo-Pacific of Southeast Asia (SEA). At least 12 Cubozoan species have now been documented in Thai waters, and many of them inflict acutely lethal strings, especially those under the order Chirodropida. Our previous study has successfully differentiated species of box jellyfish using DNA sequencing to support the morphological study. In this study, we specifically designed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers for the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene of lethal Thai Chironex species. The SYBR green-based real-time PCR panel was performed for rapid species identification. The sensitivity and specificity of the panel were determined by testing samples of different species. Moreover, we applied the panel to the tentacle sample from a real patient, which helped confirm the animal-of-cause of envenomation. Our results show a success for species identification of box jellyfish using 16S rRNA and COI PCR panel, which revealed congruence between molecular and morphological identification. Furthermore, the panel worked very well with the unknown samples and jellyfish tissue from the real envenomation case. The results demonstrated that molecular panels were able to identify three species of Chironex box jellyfish both rapidly and accurately, and can be performed without having a complete specimen or morphological study.

Keywords: Chironex; box jellyfish; species identification; species-specific PCR (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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