Diagnostics that find disease fast

Diagnosis is crucial to effective treatment

Before patients can be treated, they must be diagnosed. But for many in the developing world, accurate and rapid diagnosis of many diseases and conditions is out of reach. As a result, diseases that can be cured with treatments available now, such as tuberculosis and malaria, are often deadly. The challenge is especially dire for neglected tropical diseases that threaten many parts of the world.

Unfortunately, tools for diagnosing disease in low-resource settings are often insufficient, outdated, or ineffective. They may not be designed for the realities of low-resource settings. Tests common in wealthy countries often require sophisticated laboratories, highly trained staff, high costs, or multiple visits from patients who must travel long distances to see a health care provider. These resources are not often available in remote settings. In the case of sleeping sickness, for example, diagnostic tools rely on microscopy, a technique that requires expensive equipment and technical expertise in using such equipment—both of which can present challenges in remote settings where the disease is prevalent.

Must be affordable, appropriate

A primary challenge is to develop low-cost diagnostics that are adapted to conditions in low- and middle-income countries and can be used to inform point-of-service treatment. In addition, the diagnostics must be affordable, and health care providers must have the support and training needed to use the new tests and tools successfully.

Globally, researchers are making progress in developing effective, low-cost diagnostics. New, more sensitive tests for tuberculosis, for example, are nearing introduction in the developing world. Furthermore, the new tests show whether the patient is infected with a drug-resistant strain of the bacterium that causes it. Since the tests can deliver results in a matter of hours, treatment can begin rapidly, giving patients a better chance at survival.