WHO plans to speed development of Ebola rapid test

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Wed, 2014-11-19 19:50 — mike kraft

CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE RESEARCH AND POLICY
By Lisa Schnirring Nov.18, 2014

Quicker and simpler diagnostic tests for Ebola could go a long way in helping break chains of disease transmission in West Africa's outbreak region, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today, as it unveiled two new initiatives to expedite their development.

The WHO said it hopes new efforts—similar to those under way to test and deliver an Ebola vaccine—can compress the development of a rapid test in months instead of years.

A Navy worker extracts RNA from a patient sample at a Naval mobile lab in Liberia. US Army Africa

Standard reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests used in mobile and other labs in the outbreak are very accurate when conducted by trained staff, but they require a full tube of blood, take 2 to 6 hours to get a result, and costs around $100 per test, the WHO said today in a statement....

The first initiative is designed to minimize barriers for companies that are developing tests, the WHO said. It defines the needs of the test and streamlines access to early validation materials and clinical samples. It would also pave the way for deploying the new test in the field. The collaboration would include manufacturers, researchers, staff from Doctors without Borders (MSF), and the nonprofit group Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND)....

The WHO said the second initiative is aimed at putting in place an emergency assessment mechanism for new diagnostic tests for Ebola. In October it invited companies working on tests to submit initial documentation, and the WHO received 16 submissions as of the middle of October. They range from conventional tests to point-of-care tests that could detect Ebola with blood from a finger prick.

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2014/11/who-plans-speed-development-ebola-rapid-test

See complete WHO statement