Trials of a device that can diagnose an Ebola infection within 15 minutes are about to start in Guinea.
The test, which can analyse blood or saliva samples, is six times faster than those being used in west Africa at the moment. Faster results mean those infected can be isolated more quickly and can receive earlier treatment, which may improve their chances of survival.
Dr Val Snewin, of the Wellcome Trust, which is funding the development and trials of the device, 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. It not only gives patients a better chance of survival, but it prevents transmission of the virus to other people.
“This pilot study is particularly promising because researchers have considered how to make the test suitable for use in remote field hospitals, where resources – such as electricity and cold storage – are often in short supply.”
The device will be tested at an Ebola treatment centre in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, by researchers from the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, Senegal.
The project is one of six jointly funded by Wellcome and the UK’s Department for International Development in a £6.5m initiative called Research for Health in Humanitarian Crises.
Among the other projects is another diagnostic device, developed by the University of Westminster, which can be used away from hospital labs in villages. It aims to test bodily fluids for Ebola and deliver a result within 40 minutes.
Other projects include predicting the spread of disease so that resources can be moved to health centres most likely to see a surge of new cases, and modelling the epidemic to work out how many cases and deaths might be expected over time.
