An on-the-spot finger-prick test for measles immunity developed by a University of Birmingham team will shortly be trialled in Rwanda.
This advance in point-of-care diagnostics, which will detect measles immunity instantaneously, promises to vastly improve people’s access to treatments in low and middle-income countries – as well as facilitating health equity and health security throughout the entire world.
Until now the test for measles antibodies has required taking blood from a vein then waiting for lab results.
In many parts of the developing world, notably in refugee camps, the practicalities make testing very difficult if not impossible.
Blood samples need to go to a lab in the capital city or even another country. The chances of finding the patient again after waiting weeks for the result are low.
In these circumstances medics may opt to give a vaccine regardless, but vaccines are expensive and the “cold chain” for vaccines in remote areas pose logistical challenges. There are no fridges halfway up mountains or in remote locations.
More targeted MMR vaccine delivery
Professor Alex Richter, director of Clinical Immunology Services at the University of Birmingham, said: “This test promises to allow the MMR vaccine to be delivered in a more targeted way.
“Measles can quickly spread because of international travel and how infectious it is.
“With deaths in the US and outbreaks in the UK this year, we need to make sure that as many people as possible have the measles vaccine.
Cheaper more accessible diagnostics
“What’s needed are cheaper and more accessible diagnostic tools for patients in the Global South (countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania that are often considered developing or less developed compared to the Global North).
“Within three to five years, we hope to have a pipeline of point-of-care diagnostics to help with vaccine forecasting and deployment.
“We can then apply our learnings to improve, facilitate and accelerate diagnostics in the Global North.
‘Mission-critical for global healthcare equity and security’
“Better diagnostics isn’t a nice-to-have for people in low and middle-income countries, it’s mission-critical for global healthcare equity and security.
“If better tools can diagnose patients more quickly, their access to treatment can be accelerated. That massively affects outcomes.”
In the Global North (more developed, wealthy countries, primarily located in the Northern Hemisphere, including North America, Europe, and some parts of East Asia), patient blood samples go to labs for analysis in a process taken for granted by people who benefit from it.
More tests for other diseases
In many countries in the Global South that lack clinical infrastructure, this test process can be logistically complex to the point of being cost-prohibitive and so impossible to implement.
Researchers from Clinical Immunology Services are currently developing a range of low-cost tests for infectious and non-communicable diseases. They are tailored to populations in low and middle-income countries, delivered on the spot, including a saliva test for tetanus and a finger-prick test for mpox.
“Once mpox vaccines are rolled out, the test will allow clinicians to quickly assess their effectiveness,” said Professor Richter.
