Development of a nucleic acid-based lateral flow assay to diagnose ordinary scabies

Scabies is a contagious skin disease caused by an infestation of Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis. It can be confirmed by using dermoscopy or microscopy after scraping. However, these techniques require long-term training to become proficient. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) requires much time, cost, and effort because of gel electrophoresis. Real-time PCR requires additional probe preparation and expensive equipment. A lateral flow assay (LFA) is a paper-based platform used to detect and quantify analytes in complex mixture states, and can provide results within 5 to 30 minutes for qualitative and quantitative detection of gene amplification products .