SIMPAQ in Tanzania

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are among the most common infections worldwide and affect the most deprived communities. The strategy for control of STH infections is based on mass drug administration (MDA), which started more than 10 years ago, and which has resulted in a decline in infection intensities. Currently used diagnostic techniques are unable to quantitatively detect low to moderate STH infection intensities, creating the urgent need for new diagnostic tools to effectively monitor the impact of the MDA programs. The µFlow group of VUB has developed a new microfluidic tool which cannot only offer the sensitivity for low infection intensities, it is also a portable instrument that can be used in the remote areas of Africa, and it allows to store the test data, which can be standardised, analysed and reported to the local authorities and World Health Organisation (WHO). Two local research institutions in Tanzania, which have expertise in the field of parasitology and expressed clear demand for the new tool, will be equipped and trained for further optimization and validation of the tool through field tests.