Development of rapid and sensitive assays for neutralising antibodies to emerging, re-emerging and escalating viruses of global importance

Supervisors:

Prof Brian Willett, School of Infection & Immunity
Prof Margaret Hosie, School of Infection & Immunity
Prof Antonia Ho, School of Infection & Immunity
Prof Deborah Williamson, School of Infection & Immunity

Summary:

With increasing globalisation, UK citizens travel to countries where tropical diseases are endemic. Upon their return, returning travellers can develop rashes, fevers or encephalitides of unknown origin. Diagnosing the causes of such illnesses can be difficult, as only a small number of cases present each year, and hospital diagnostic laboratories do not maintain a panel of diagnostic tests for the diversity of tropical pathogens that exist. If point of care tests, or rapid off-the-shelf diagnostics were available locally, this would improve disease management and therapy, obviating the need for retrospective public health interventions following a delayed diagnosis.

We will develop rapid serological tests for viral infections that are increasing with climate change and globalisation. Previously, we developed high-throughput tests for Ebola, Marburg and Sudan viruses; chikungunya virus; Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), Crimean Congo haemorrhagic fever viruses (CCHFV) and SARS-CoV-2. These BSL-2 assays do not require the handling of live viruses, are rapid, and are transferrable to resource-limited countries. We will expand this panel to cover suspected causes of rashes, fevers and encephalitides of unknown aetiologies, developing off-the-shelf diagnostic tests that offer clinicians a rapid insight into the exposure history of returning travellers, informing disease management and therapeutic interventions.