Improved diagnostics for helminth NTDs
DOLF researchers are not only performing clinical trials, large community trials and other epidemiological and intervention studies on helminths in the field they run also state of the art molecular helminthology laboratories and have access to core facilities for genome sequencing, proteomics and molecular imaging. Within the DOLF project, the team identified problems of currently used diagnostic tools and performed various studies to help to develop, evaluate and improve diagnostic methods for helminth parasites. The studies include:
- Improved detection of circulating Wuchereria bancrofti antigen using filariasis tests strips (Weil et al. 2013, Yahathugoda et al. 2015, Chesnais et al. 2017).
- Quantification of circulating filarial antigen in the field (Chesnais et al. 2013, Chesnais et al. 2016).
- Cross-reactivity of Loa loa antigens with tests to detect circulating filarial antigen (Bakajika et al. 2014, Hertz et al. 2018)
- Methods to assess filarial lymphedema progression (Yahathugoda et al. 2017).
- Diagnostics for onchocerciasis elimination programs (Lloyd et al. 2015, Vlaminck et al. 2015)
- PCR diagnostics for STH (Rosa et al. 2018, Fischer et al. 2018).
- Problems for STH diagnostics by Kato Katz smear (Fischer et al. 2018).