1
|
Tembo J, Simulundu E, Changula K, Handley D, Gilbert M, Chilufya M, Asogun D, Ansumana R, Kapata N, Ntoumi F, Ippolito G, Zumla A, Bates M. Recent advances in the development and evaluation of molecular diagnostics for Ebola virus disease. Expert Rev Mol Diagn 2019; 19:325-340. [PMID: 30916590 DOI: 10.1080/14737159.2019.1595592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The 2014-16 outbreak of ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa resulted in 11,308 deaths. During the outbreak only 60% of patients were laboratory confirmed and global health authorities have identified the need for accurate and readily deployable molecular diagnostics as an important component of the ideal response to future outbreaks, to quickly identify and isolate patients. Areas covered: Currently PCR-based techniques and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) that detect antigens specific to EVD infections dominate the diagnostic landscape, but recent advances in biosensor technologies have led to novel approaches for the development of EVD diagnostics. This review summarises the literature and available performance data of currently available molecular diagnostics for ebolavirus, identifies knowledge gaps and maps out future priorities for research in this field. Expert opinion: While there are now a plethora of diagnostic tests for EVD at various stages of development, there is an acute need for studies to compare their clinical performance, but the sporadic nature of EVD outbreaks makes this extremely challenging, demanding pragmatic new modalities of research funding and ethical/institutional approval, to enable responsive research in outbreak settings. Retrospective head-to-head diagnostic comparisons could also be implemented using biobanked specimens, providing this can be done safely.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John Tembo
- a HerpeZ , University Teaching hospital , Lusaka , Zambia
| | - Edgar Simulundu
- b Department of Disease Control , University of Zambia School of Veterinary Medicine , Lusaka , Zambia
| | - Katendi Changula
- b Department of Disease Control , University of Zambia School of Veterinary Medicine , Lusaka , Zambia
| | - Dale Handley
- c School of Life Sciences , University of Lincoln , Lincoln , UK
| | - Matthew Gilbert
- c School of Life Sciences , University of Lincoln , Lincoln , UK
| | - Moses Chilufya
- a HerpeZ , University Teaching hospital , Lusaka , Zambia
| | - Danny Asogun
- d Lassa fever research institute , Irrua University Teaching Hospital , Irrua , Nigeria
| | | | - Nathan Kapata
- f Zambia National Public Health Institute , Lusaka , Zambia
| | - Francine Ntoumi
- g Fondation Congolaise pour la Recherche Médicale , Brazzaville , Republic of Congo
| | - Giuseppe Ippolito
- h National Institute for Infectious Diseases , Lazzaro Spallanzani, IRCCS , Rome , Italy
| | - Alimuddin Zumla
- i Centre for Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection and Immunity , University College London (UCL) , London , UK.,j National Institute of Health and Research Biomedical Research Centre , UCL Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust , London , UK
| | - Matthew Bates
- a HerpeZ , University Teaching hospital , Lusaka , Zambia.,c School of Life Sciences , University of Lincoln , Lincoln , UK.,i Centre for Clinical Microbiology, Division of Infection and Immunity , University College London (UCL) , London , UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Shah K, Bentley E, Tyler A, Richards KSR, Wright E, Easterbrook L, Lee D, Cleaver C, Usher L, Burton JE, Pitman JK, Bruce CB, Edge D, Lee M, Nazareth N, Norwood DA, Moschos SA. Field-deployable, quantitative, rapid identification of active Ebola virus infection in unprocessed blood. Chem Sci 2017; 8:7780-7797. [PMID: 29163915 PMCID: PMC5694917 DOI: 10.1039/c7sc03281a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The West African Ebola virus outbreak underlined the importance of delivering mass diagnostic capability outside the clinical or primary care setting in effectively containing public health emergencies caused by infectious disease. Yet, to date, there is no solution for reliably deploying at the point of need the gold standard diagnostic method, real time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), in a laboratory infrastructure-free manner. In this proof of principle work, we demonstrate direct performance of RT-qPCR on fresh blood using far-red fluorophores to resolve fluorogenic signal inhibition and controlled, rapid freeze/thawing to achieve viral genome extraction in a single reaction chamber assay. The resulting process is entirely free of manual or automated sample pre-processing, requires no microfluidics or magnetic/mechanical sample handling and thus utilizes low cost consumables. This enables a fast, laboratory infrastructure-free, minimal risk and simple standard operating procedure suited to frontline, field use. Developing this novel approach on recombinant bacteriophage and recombinant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; Lentivirus), we demonstrate clinical utility in symptomatic EBOV patient screening using live, infectious Filoviruses and surrogate patient samples. Moreover, we evidence assay co-linearity independent of viral particle structure that may enable viral load quantification through pre-calibration, with no loss of specificity across an 8 log-linear maximum dynamic range. The resulting quantitative rapid identification (QuRapID) molecular diagnostic platform, openly accessible for assay development, meets the requirements of resource-limited countries and provides a fast response solution for mass public health screening against emerging biosecurity threats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kavit Shah
- Westminster Genomic Services , Department of Biomedical Sciences , Faculty of Science and Technology , University of Westminster , 115 New Cavendish Str , London W1W 6UW , UK
- BGResearch Ltd. , 6 The Business Centre, Harvard Way, Harvard Industrial Estate , Kimbolton , Huntingdon PE28 0NJ , UK
| | - Emma Bentley
- Department of Biomedical Sciences , Faculty of Science and Technology , University of Westminster , 115 New Cavendish Str , London W1W 6UW , UK
| | - Adam Tyler
- BioGene Ltd. , 8 The Business Centre, Harvard Way, Harvard Industrial Estate , Kimbolton , Huntingdon PE28 0NJ , UK
| | - Kevin S R Richards
- Public Health England , National Infection Service , High Containment Microbiology Department , Porton Down , Salisbury , Wiltshire SP4 0JG , UK
| | - Edward Wright
- Department of Biomedical Sciences , Faculty of Science and Technology , University of Westminster , 115 New Cavendish Str , London W1W 6UW , UK
| | - Linda Easterbrook
- Public Health England , National Infection Service , High Containment Microbiology Department , Porton Down , Salisbury , Wiltshire SP4 0JG , UK
| | - Diane Lee
- Fluorogenics LIMITED , Building 227, Tetricus Science Park, Dstl Porton Down , Salisbury , Wiltshire SP4 0JQ , UK
| | - Claire Cleaver
- Fluorogenics LIMITED , Building 227, Tetricus Science Park, Dstl Porton Down , Salisbury , Wiltshire SP4 0JQ , UK
| | - Louise Usher
- Westminster Genomic Services , Department of Biomedical Sciences , Faculty of Science and Technology , University of Westminster , 115 New Cavendish Str , London W1W 6UW , UK
| | - Jane E Burton
- Public Health England , National Infection Service , High Containment Microbiology Department , Porton Down , Salisbury , Wiltshire SP4 0JG , UK
| | - James K Pitman
- Public Health England , National Infection Service , High Containment Microbiology Department , Porton Down , Salisbury , Wiltshire SP4 0JG , UK
| | - Christine B Bruce
- Public Health England , National Infection Service , High Containment Microbiology Department , Porton Down , Salisbury , Wiltshire SP4 0JG , UK
| | - David Edge
- BioGene Ltd. , 8 The Business Centre, Harvard Way, Harvard Industrial Estate , Kimbolton , Huntingdon PE28 0NJ , UK
| | - Martin Lee
- Fluorogenics LIMITED , Building 227, Tetricus Science Park, Dstl Porton Down , Salisbury , Wiltshire SP4 0JQ , UK
| | - Nelson Nazareth
- BioGene Ltd. , 8 The Business Centre, Harvard Way, Harvard Industrial Estate , Kimbolton , Huntingdon PE28 0NJ , UK
| | - David A Norwood
- Diagnostic Systems Division and Virology Division , United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases , Fort Detrick , MD 21701-5011 , USA
| | - Sterghios A Moschos
- Westminster Genomic Services , Department of Biomedical Sciences , Faculty of Science and Technology , University of Westminster , 115 New Cavendish Str , London W1W 6UW , UK
- Department of Biomedical Sciences , Faculty of Science and Technology , University of Westminster , 115 New Cavendish Str , London W1W 6UW , UK
- Department of Applied Sciences , Faculty of Health and Life Sciences , Northumbria University , C4.03 Ellison Building, Ellison Place , Newcastle Upon Tyne , Tyne and Wear NE1 8ST , UK . ; Tel: +44(0) 191 215 6623
| |
Collapse
|