Addressing Barriers to the Development and Adoption of Rapid Diagnostic Tests in Global Health

This paper describes the current diagnostic methods of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in cervides used between 2013 and 2017 in Romania. The active surveillance of CWD involves the targeted groups screening by using rapid diagnostic tests (e.g., antigen capture enzyme immunoassay). If the first test does not provide certain negative results, then the confirmatory methods have been used, i.e. histopathology, immunohistochemistry and Western immunoblotting. These tests did not lead to the detection of CWD prions (PrPCWD) in Romania. This may be due to the absence or insufficient quantity of PrPCWD in samples, below the threshold of confirmatory tests.

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Evaluation of the ICT Malaria P.f/P.v and the OptiMal Rapid Diagnostic Tests for Malaria in Febrile Returned Travellers

Journal of Clinical Microbiology ◽

10.1128/jcm.40.11.4166-4171.2002 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 40 (11) ◽

pp. 4166-4171 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

E. G. Playford ◽

J. Walker

Keyword(s):

Diagnostic Tests ◽

Rapid Diagnostic Tests

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Modelling the impact of rapid diagnostic tests on Plasmodium vivax malaria in South Korea: a cost–benefit analysis

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004292 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. e004292

Author(s):

Jung Ho Kim ◽

Jiyeon Suh ◽

Woon Ji Lee ◽

Heun Choi ◽

Jong-Dae Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Korea ◽

Plasmodium Vivax ◽

Diagnostic Tests ◽

Cost Benefit Analysis ◽

Malaria Incidence ◽

Cost Benefit ◽

Medical Costs ◽

Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽

Benefit Analysis ◽

The Impact

BackgroundRapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are widely used for diagnosing Plasmodium vivax malaria, especially in resource-limited countries. However, the impact of RDTs on P. vivax malaria incidence and national medical costs has not been evaluated. We assessed the impact of RDT implementation on P. vivax malaria incidence and overall medical expenditures in South Korea and performed a cost–benefit analysis from the payer’s perspective.MethodsWe developed a dynamic compartmental model for P. vivax malaria transmission in South Korea using delay differential equations. Long latency and seasonality were incorporated into the model, which was calibrated to civilian malaria incidences during 2014–2018. We then estimated averted malaria cases and total medical costs from two diagnostic scenarios: microscopy only and both microscopy and RDTs. Medical costs were extracted based on data from a hospital in an at-risk area for P. vivax malaria and were validated using Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data. We conducted a cost–benefit analysis of RDTs using the incremental benefit:cost ratio (IBCR) considering only medical costs and performed a probabilistic sensitivity analysis to reflect the uncertainties of model parameters, costs and benefits.ResultsThe results showed that 55.3% of new P. vivax malaria cases were averted, and $696 214 in medical costs was saved over 10 years after RDT introduction. The estimated IBCR was 2.5, indicating that RDT implementation was beneficial, compared with microscopy alone. The IBCR was sensitive to the diagnosis time reduction, infectious period and short latency period, and provided beneficial results in a benefit over $10.6 or RDT cost under $39.7.ConclusionsThe model simulation suggested that RDTs could significantly reduce P. vivax malaria incidence and medical costs. Moreover, cost–benefit analysis demonstrated that the introduction of RDTs was beneficial over microscopy alone. These results support the need for widespread adoption of RDTs.

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Supporting Smartphone-Based Image Capture of Rapid Diagnostic Tests in Low-Resource Settings

Proceedings of the 2020 International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development ◽

10.1145/3392561.3394630 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Chunjong Park ◽

Alex Mariakakis ◽

Jane Yang ◽

Diego Lassala ◽

Yasamba Djiguiba ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diagnostic Tests ◽

Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽

Image Capture ◽

Low Resource Settings ◽

Low Resource

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The elusive parasite: comparing macroscopic, immunological, and genomic approaches to identifying malaria in human skeletal remains from Sayala, Egypt (third to sixth centuries AD)

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences ◽

10.1007/s12520-021-01350-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

Author(s):

Alvie Loufouma Mbouaka ◽

Michelle Gamble ◽

Christina Wurst ◽

Heidi Yoko Jäger ◽

Frank Maixner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diagnostic Tests ◽

Sample Selection ◽

Human Remains ◽

Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽

Skeletal Remains ◽

Pathological Changes ◽

Human Skeletal Remains ◽

The Past ◽

A Site ◽

Capture Sequencing

AbstractAlthough malaria is one of the oldest and most widely distributed diseases affecting humans, identifying and characterizing its presence in ancient human remains continue to challenge researchers. We attempted to establish a reliable approach to detecting malaria in human skeletons using multiple avenues of analysis: macroscopic observations, rapid diagnostic tests, and shotgun-capture sequencing techniques, to identify pathological changes, Plasmodium antigens, and Plasmodium DNA, respectively. Bone and tooth samples from ten individuals who displayed skeletal lesions associated with anaemia, from a site in southern Egypt (third to sixth centuries AD), were selected. Plasmodium antigens were detected in five of the ten bone samples, and traces of Plasmodium aDNA were detected in six of the twenty bone and tooth samples. There was relatively good synchronicity between the biomolecular findings, despite not being able to authenticate the results. This study highlights the complexity and limitations in the conclusive identification of the Plasmodium parasite in ancient human skeletons. Limitations regarding antigen and aDNA preservation and the importance of sample selection are at the forefront of the search for malaria in the past. We confirm that, currently, palaeopathological changes such as cribra orbitalia are not enough to be certain of the presence of malaria. While biomolecular methods are likely the best chance for conclusive identification, we were unable to obtain results which correspond to the current authentication criteria of biomolecules. This study represents an important contribution in the refinement of biomolecular techniques used; also, it raises new insight regarding the consistency of combining several approaches in the identification of malaria in past populations.

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COVID-19 Antibody Detecting Rapid Diagnostic Tests Show High Cross-Reactivity When Challenged with Pre-Pandemic Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Dengue Samples

Diagnostics ◽

10.3390/diagnostics11071163 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 1163

Author(s):

Fien Vanroye ◽

Dorien Van den Bossche ◽

Isabel Brosius ◽

Bieke Tack ◽

Marjan Van Esbroeck ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Retrospective Study ◽

Whole Blood ◽

Diagnostic Tests ◽

Risk Mitigation ◽

Plasmodium Species ◽

Cross Reactivity ◽

Rapid Diagnostic Tests ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Independent Evaluation

COVID-19 Antibody Detecting Rapid Diagnostic Tests (COVID-19 Ab RDTs) are the preferred tool for SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence studies, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The present study challenged COVID-19 Ab RDTs with pre-pandemic samples of patients exposed to tropical pathogens. A retrospective study was performed on archived serum (n = 94) and EDTA whole blood (n = 126) samples obtained during 2010–2018 from 196 travelers with malaria (n = 170), schistosomiasis (n = 25) and dengue (n = 25). COVID-19 Ab RDTs were selected based on regulatory approval status, independent evaluation results and detecting antigens. Among 13 COVID-19 Ab RDT products, overall cross-reactivity was 18.5%; cross-reactivity for malaria, schistosomiasis and dengue was 20.3%, 18.1% and 7.5%, respectively. Cross-reactivity for current and recent malaria, malaria antibodies, Plasmodium species and parasite densities was similar. Cross-reactivity among the different RDT products ranged from 2.7% to 48.9% (median value 14.5%). IgM represented 67.9% of cross-reactive test lines. Cross-reactivity was not associated with detecting antigens, patient categories or disease (sub)groups, except for schistosomiasis (two products with ≥60% cross-reactivity). The high cross-reactivity for malaria, schistosomiasis and—to a lesser extent—dengue calls for risk mitigation when using COVID-19 Ab RDTs in co-endemic regions.

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