title: Development and deployment of a rapid recombinase polymerase amplification Ebola virus detection assay in Guinea in 2015.
abstract: In the absence of a vaccine or specific treatments for Ebola virus disease (EVD), early identification of cases is crucial for the control of EVD epidemics. We evaluated a new extraction kit (SpeedXtract (SE), Qiagen) on sera and swabs in combination with an improved diagnostic reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification assay for the detection of Ebola virus (EBOV-RT-RPA). The performance of combined extraction and detection was best for swabs. Sensitivity and specificity of the combined SE and EBOV-RT-RPA were tested in a mobile laboratory consisting of a mobile glovebox and a Diagnostics-in-a-Suitcase powered by a battery and solar panel, deployed to Matoto Conakry, Guinea as part of the reinforced surveillance strategy in April 2015 to reach the goal of zero cases. The EBOV-RT-RPA was evaluated in comparison to two real-time PCR assays. Of 928 post-mortem swabs, 120 tested positive, and the combined SE and EBOV-RT-RPA yielded a sensitivity and specificity of 100% in reference to one real-time RT-PCR assay. Another widely used real-time RT-PCR was much less sensitive than expected. Results were provided very fast within 30 to 60 min, and the field deployment of the mobile laboratory helped improve burial management and community engagement.
authors.affiliation: Arbovirus and viral hemorragic fever unit, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Oumar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Faye
authors.forename: Ousmane
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Faye
authors.forename: Barré
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Soropogui
authors.forename: Pranav
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Ahmed Abd
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: El Wahed
authors.forename: Cheikh
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loucoubar
authors.forename: Gamou
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fall
authors.forename: Davy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kiory
authors.forename: N'Faly
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Magassouba
authors.forename: Sakoba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keita
authors.forename: Mandy Kader
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kondé
authors.forename: Alpha Amadou
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Diallo
authors.forename: Lamine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Koivogui
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Karlberg
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mirazimi
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nentwich
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Piepenburg
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niedrig
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weidmann
authors.forename: Amadou Alpha
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sall
mesh_terms: D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D029043:Ebolavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016701:Guinea; D019142:Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D045522:Recombinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral; D045522:Recombinases
keywords: Diagnostics in a suitcase; Ebola virus; Mobile Suitcase Laboratory; Point-of-care; RPA; RT-RPA; Recombinase polymerase amplification; sensitivity and specificity