Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assay for the Detection of Bacterial Bovine Mastitis: A Systematic Review.

Abstract

Bovine bacterial mastitis is an inflammation of cows' udders by bacterial infection, leading to significant economic, animal welfare and public health consequences. Conventional diagnostic tests are expensive, time-consuming, and require specialised laboratories, making them unsuitable for on-farm surveillance and timely interventions. As an alternative, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has gained attention as a rapid, cost-effective and sensitive molecular diagnostic. LAMP amplifies DNA at a constant temperature, offering a simple and efficient method for bacterial detection. This review compiles studies on LAMP assays developed to detect major mastitis-causing bacteria. Thus, a total of 18 LAMP assays were identified using PRISMA guidelines. Colourimetric and turbidity-based LAMP assays were most frequently used. Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus uberis and Escherichia coli were the most common bacteria detected. While LAMP demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity in laboratory settings, its efficacy in field conditions remains uncharacterised. Nevertheless, the simplicity of sample preparation, resistance to inhibitors, short turnaround time, ease of running and simple-to-interpret results make LAMP a promising method for on-farm diagnosis. Overall, this review highlights the current state of LAMP developed for bovine mastitis and identifies gaps for future studies.