Last Updated: 18/06/2024
Clinical field studies for point-of-care diagnostics using miniature microscopy scanners
Objectives
This project aims to implement the novel multipurpose diagnostic platform in two settings in Tanzania:
1) As a diagnostic method for detection of malaria in blood samples obtained from patients presenting with fever at the primary health care level and
2) as a diagnostic and monitoring method for detection of soil-transmitted helminthes and schistosomiasis in stool and urine obtained from schoolchildren within a transmission surveillance survey. Captured digital images of the specimens are transferred to the central server to detect malaria parasites in blood smears, and helminth eggs in stool and urine, and to return the results to the technician in the field.
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science (MUHAS), Tanzania
The researchers have developed a low-cost miniaturized microscopy scanner that digitizes patient samples at high magnification and transfers the generated virtual slides over mobile networks. This team’s central server receives the virtual slides and allows the biological samples to be remotely analyzed by automated computer vision or visually assessed by a human observer. A proof-of-concept study supported by the Swedish Research Council has been conducted in 2014-2015 and shown the method to be feasible. A point-of-care study will be carried out in the Bagamoyo District and the transmission surveillance study in the Masasi/Muheza District in Tanzania in collaboration with Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS). The study will include a comparison with conventional microscopy with regard to diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value), an evaluation of United Statesbility, interpretability and assessment of time to achieve diagnosis. The project advances the field by bringing a powerful, multiplexed diagnostic tool from the laboratory to the point-of-care. The instruments are constructed out of components of mobile phones, make use of the expanding mobile networks and allow remote image processing in a highly scalable cloud computing environment. Previous mobile microscopy projects have been limited with regard to the sample area that can be captured, whereas the technology to be tested in the current project can digitally scan an entire microscopy slide. The method will aid in the combat of infectious diseases at the point-of-care level of health care and has the potential to improve access to diagnostics, enable task-shifting and shorten the time to diagnosis.
Jan 2016 — Dec 2018
$386,310
