NTD diagnostics for disease elimination: A review

Michelle Taylor

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) marked out for disease elimination provide a lens through which to explore the changing status of diagnosis in global health. This paper reports on the findings of a scoping review, which set out to explore the main debates around diagnosis for the elimination of NTDs, including the multiple roles diagnostic technologies are being ascribed and the ideal characteristics of tests. It also attempts to summarise the state of diagnosis for three NTDs with elimination goals. The review places special emphasis on point-of-care testing in acknowledgement of the remote and underserved areas where NTDs proliferate. Early NTD campaigns were largely focused on attack phase planning, whereby a similar set of interventions could be transplanted anywhere. Now, with elimination goals in sight, strategies must be tailored to local settings if they are to attain and sustain success. Diagnostic data helps with local adaptation and is increasingly used for programmatic decision-making. The review finds that elimination goals reframe whom diagnosis is for and the myriad roles diagnostics can play. The exigencies of elimination also serve to highlight deficiencies in the current diagnostic arsenal and development pipeline for many NTDs. Moving forward, a guiding framework is needed to drive research and stimulate investment in diagnosis to support NTD goals.
Original languageEnglish
Article number375
Pages (from-to)1-19
Number of pages19
JournalDiagnostics
Volume10
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 5 Jun 2020

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • diagnosis
  • neglected tropical disease
  • disease elimination
  • point-of-care diagnostics

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