title: Rapid tests for diagnosis of leptospirosis: current tools and emerging technologies.
abstract: Leptospirosis is an emerging zoonosis with a worldwide distribution but is more commonly found in impoverished populations in developing countries and tropical regions with frequent flooding. The rapid detection of leptospirosis is a critical step to effectively manage the disease and to control outbreaks in both human and animal populations. Therefore, there is a need for accurate and rapid diagnostic tests and appropriate surveillance and alert systems to identify outbreaks. This review describes current in-house methods and commercialized tests for the rapid diagnosis of acute leptospirosis. It focuses on diagnostic tests that can be performed with minimal training and limited equipment in less-developed and newly industrialized countries, particularly in resource-limited settings and with results in minutes to less than 4 hours. We also describe recent technological advances in the field of diagnostic tests that could allow for the development of innovative rapid tests in the near future.
authors.affiliation: Institut Pasteur, Unité de Biologie des Spirochètes, National Reference Center and WHO Collaborating Center for Leptospirosis, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Picardeau
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Health Security and Environment/Pandemic and Epidemic Diseases, 20 Av Appia, 1211, Geneva 27, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bertherat
authors.affiliation: Health and Climate Foundation, 1425K St NW suite 350, Washington DC 20005, USA.
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jancloes
authors.affiliation: Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Ispra VA, Italy.
authors.forename: Andreas N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Skouloudis
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Health Security and Environment/Pandemic and Epidemic Diseases, 20 Av Appia, 1211, Geneva 27, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Kara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Durski
authors.affiliation: Royal Tropical Institute, KIT Biomedical Research, WHO/FAO/OIE and National Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Leptospirosis, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: r.hartskeerl@kit.nl.
authors.forename: Rudy A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hartskeerl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000662:veterinary
keywords: Diagnostic test; Diagnostics; Early diagnosis; Early warning; Innovation; Leptospirosis; Outbreak; Surveillance