The Philippine swine industry is a significant contributor to the country’s agriculture sector, recording over 400,000 metric tons of hog production in just one quarter of 2023. However, multiple contagious diseases, such as African Swine Fever and PRRS, have exacted severe impacts on the industry, causing mortality and reducing productivity. To understand the impact of swine diseases on infected herds, prevalence and factors contributing to infection must be investigated. Proper screening and diagnoses allow farmers and authorities to confirm infections, seek proper treatment, and manage disease. These tools also contribute additional epidemiological information that aids future studies.

Due to their sensitivity and reliability in diagnosing swine diseases, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests remain widely used. However, the need for expensive equipment and fragile materials, which are not easily accessible, and the time-consuming nature of the PCR procedure, render field application challenging, and utilization in the Philippines remains limited. Therefore, there is a need for a cheaper, more accessible, and field-applicable diagnostic tool that has the same diagnostic capability as PCR.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a sensitive nucleic acid amplification technique known for its simple, rapid, and efficient approach. The amplification process occurs at a consistent temperature and does not require high-end equipment, making it suitable for field and laboratory studies. Compared to PCR and other diagnostic methods, LAMP is more efficient in detecting infectious agents, particularly in terms of instruction, process, and speed. This project will develop LAMP techniques to realize rapid, reproducible, and easily interpreted disease diagnoses.