Ebola test is 'six times faster'
1 Dec 2014
A 15-minute Ebola test funded by the Wellcome Trust is six times faster than similar tests currently being deployed, researchers claim.
The test, which detects the genetic material of the Ebola virus, will be trialled over the coming weeks at the Ebola treatment centre in Conakry, Guinea.
The current death toll for the West Africa Ebola outbreak stands at roughly 7,000, with Guinea being one of the most widely affected countries.
“It not only gives patients a better chance of survival, but it prevents transmission of the virus to other people
Val Snewin, Wellcome Trust
Researchers at the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, Senegal who will administer the test will be armed with a ’mobile suitcase laboratory’ which is designed for low-resource settings.
Reagents used in the test are available as dried pellets and can be used and transported at room temperature.
Being able to test for, and detect, cases of Ebola at a faster rate would lead to better infection control and improve treatment possibilities for patients, the Wellcome Trust said.
“A reliable, 15-minute test that can confirm cases of Ebola would be a key tool for effective management of the Ebola outbreak - allowing patients to be identified, isolated and cared for as soon as possible,” said Val Snewin, international activities manager at the Wellcome Trust.
“It not only gives patients a better chance of survival, but it prevents transmission of the virus to other people.”
According to Snewin, the pilot study is “particularly promising” as researchers have designed the test so that it can be used in remote field hospitals, where resources - such as electricity and cold storage - are in short supply.
The project is supported through a joint Department for International Development (DFID) and Wellcome Trust fund for rapid health research during the Ebola outbreak.
The trial is one of six projects to receive a portion of the available £6.5 million funding.
The other five projects are as follows:
- EbolaCheck - Portable Device which tests bodily fluids for Ebola: University of Westminster - Dr Sterghios Moschos
- Predicting the geographic spread of Ebola virus disease in West Africa: University of Oxford - Professor Simon Hay and Dr Nick Golding
- Behaviour change to help infection prevention and control: International Rescue Committee - Dr Lara Ho
- Modelling the Ebola epidemic in West Africa: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine - Professor John Edmunds
- Ebola Response Anthropology Platform: London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine - Dr Melissa Parker
