1. Integrated use of laboratory services for multiple infectious diseases in the WHO European Region during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond
- Author
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Simões, Daniel, Ehsani, Soudeh, Stanojevic, Maja, Shubladze, Natalia, Kalmambetova, Gulmira, Paredes, Roger, Cirillo, Daniela Maria, Avellón, Ana, Felker, Irina, Maurer, Florian P, Yedilbayev, Askar, Drobniewski, Francis, Vojnov, Lara, Johansen, Anne S, Seguy, Nicole, Dara, Masoud, European Laboratory Initiative on TB, HIV and viral hepatitis core group members, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal), Unión Europea. Fondo Social Europeo (ESF/FSE), Imperial College Trust, Commission of the European Communities, and Research England
- Subjects
laboratory services ,European Laboratory Initiative on TB, HIV and viral hepatitis core group members ,Epidemiology ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Integration ,Sexually Transmitted Diseases ,viral hepatitis ,HIV ,COVID-19 ,integration ,HIV Infections ,World Health Organization ,Hepatitis C ,1117 Public Health and Health Services ,Virology ,Laboratory services ,Sexually transmitted infections ,Humans ,Tuberculosis ,Viral hepatitis ,Pandemics ,sexually transmitted infections ,0605 Microbiology ,1199 Other Medical and Health Sciences - Abstract
Technical advances in diagnostic techniques have permitted the possibility of multi-disease-based approaches for diagnosis and treatment monitoring of several infectious diseases, including tuberculosis (TB), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STI). However, in many countries, diagnosis and monitoring, as well as disease response programs, still operate as vertical systems, potentially causing delay in diagnosis and burden to patients and preventing the optimal use of available resources. With countries facing both human and financial resource constraints, during the COVID-19 pandemic even more than before, it is important that available resources are used as efficiently as possible, potential synergies are leveraged to maximise benefit for patients, continued provision of essential health services is ensured. For the infectious diseases, TB, HIV, hepatitis C (HCV) and STI, sharing devices and integrated services starting with rapid, quality-assured, and complete diagnostic services is beneficial for the continued development of adequate, efficient and effective treatment strategies. Here we explore the current and future potential (as well as some concerns), importance, implications and necessary implementation steps for the use of platforms for multi-disease testing for TB, HIV, HCV, STI and potentially other infectious diseases, including emerging pathogens, using the example of the COVID-19 pandemic. Daniel Simões was the recipient of PhD grant PD/BD/128008/2016 from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), co-funded by the “Programa Operacional Capital Humano/Fundo Social Europeu” (POCH/FSE). The funder did not have any role in manuscript preparation, revision or submission. Sí
- Published
- 2022