Congo/Public health: laboratory technicians trained in rapid diagnosis of yellow fever

On June 17, the World Health Organization (WHO), with the support of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Unicef DA, opened a regional workshop in Brazzaville to introduce the YF MAC-HD 1.0 test (ATCC) and the Standard Q yellow fever IGM test (SD Biosensor).

Laboratory technicians from thirteen French-speaking African countries are taking part in the course, which runs until June 21. They come from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Niger, CAR, DRC, Chad, Togo and the Republic of Congo. They also included representatives from the three regional laboratories (Senegal, Uganda, Cameroon).

Organized as part of the global network of yellow fever laboratories, the workshop will enable participants to better understand the implementation of two tests. Firstly, the SD biosensor rapid diagnostic test (RDT), which gives you a quick idea when you've received twenty or fifteen samples, which you can run quickly to see whether one is positive or not. " We'll be using the MAC-HD ATCC test manufactured by the American firm ATCC. In fact, the second test will provide an accurate result ," explained Dr. M. M. M., regional coordinator of the African yellow fever laboratory network, in his opening remarks.For many years, Africa had relied on a test that took three days to obtain results.

He pointed out that in recent years, the global network of laboratories has been working on a commercial kit that makes life easier. In just a few minutes, you can get an idea of whether or not a suspect sample is infected with the yellow fever virus.

Speaking on the occasion, Roch Fabien Niama, Director General of the National Public Health Laboratory, welcomed the opening of this regional training workshop on the use of the yellow fever virus.gional training workshop on the introduction of the MAC-HD ATCC kit and the SD biosensor rapid diagnostic test (RDT) in the routine diagnosis of yellow fever in high-risk countries. " This workshop will enable the introduction of two crucial innovations for yellow fever diagnosis: the ATCC YF MAC-HD kit and the SD Biosensor rapid diagnostic test (RDT), tools that will enable a significant advance in the ability to diagnose yellow fever withvre respectively with high sensitivity and specificity, as well as increased accuracy and speed ", said Roch Fabien Niama.

Yellow fever is a potentially fatal viral disease that represents a major threat to public health in many tropical and subtropical regions. The fight against this disease requires rapid, accurate and accessible diagnostic tools, so that patients can be treated quickly and effectively.

Source: www.adiac-congo.com