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. 2022 Jul;27(29):2100930.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2022.27.29.2100930.

Integrated use of laboratory services for multiple infectious diseases in the WHO European Region during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Daniel Simões  1   2 , Soudeh Ehsani  3 , Maja Stanojevic  2   4 , Natalia Shubladze  2   5 , Gulmira Kalmambetova  2   6 , Roger Paredes  2   7 , Daniela Maria Cirillo  2   8 , Ana Avellon  2   9 , Irina Felker  10   2 , Florian P Maurer  11   12   2 , Askar Yedilbayev  3 , Francis Drobniewski  13   2 , Lara Vojnov  14 , Anne S Johansen  3 , Nicole Seguy  3 , Masoud Dara  3 ; European Laboratory Initiative on TB, HIV and viral hepatitis core group members  2
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Integrated use of laboratory services for multiple infectious diseases in the WHO European Region during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

Daniel Simões et al. Euro Surveill. 2022 Jul.

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.

Keywords: HIV; integration; laboratory services; sexually transmitted infections; tuberculosis; viral hepatitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: Ana Avellon received honoraria for lectures or presentations from ABBVIE and GRIFOLS, outside the scope of this manuscript.

Florian Maurer received grants from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the Innovative Medicines Initiative, Mukoviszidose e.V. and Joachim Herz Foundation, consulting fees from the WHO Regional Office for Europe, honoraria from the German Academy for Infectious Diseases and Biomérieux, and instruments and reagents for evaluation from Roche, Becton Dickinson, Hain Lifesciences, Molbio, and Metasystems, as well as medical writing assistance by Elements Communication, all outside the scope of this manuscript.

Roger Paredes received research grants from Gilead Sciences, MSD and ViiV, and consulting fees from Gilead, MSD, ViiV, Thera Technologies and Lilly, all outside the scope of this manuscript.

None of these declared interests was related to the current manuscript, or had any connection with its preparation, revision, or submission process.

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