A Systematic Review on Suitability of Molecular Techniques for Diagnosis and Research into Infectious Diseases of Concern in Resource-Limited Settings

Akua K. Yalley, Selasie Ahiatrogah, Anna A. Kafintu-Kwashie, Gloria Amegatcher, Diana Prah, Akua K. Botwe, Mildred A. Adusei-Poku, Evangeline Obodai, Nicholas I. Nii-Trebi

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Infectious diseases significantly impact the health status of developing countries. Historically, infectious diseases of the tropics especially have received insufficient attention in worldwide public health initiatives, resulting in poor preventive and treatment options. Many molecular tests for human infections have been established since the 1980s, when polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing was introduced. In spite of the substantial innovative advancements in PCR technology, which currently has found wide application in most viral pathogens of global concern, the development and application of molecular diagnostics, particularly in resource-limited settings, poses potential constraints. This review accessed data from sources including PubMed, Google Scholar, the Web of Knowledge, as well as reports from the World Health Organization’s Annual Meeting on infectious diseases and examined these for current molecular approaches used to identify, monitor, or investigate some neglected tropical infectious diseases. This review noted some growth efforts in the development of molecular techniques for diagnosis of pathogens that appear to be common in resource limited settings and identified gaps in the availability and applicability of most of these molecular diagnostics, which need to be addressed if the One Health goal is to be achieved.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4367-4385
Number of pages19
JournalCurrent Issues in Molecular Biology
Volume44
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2022

Keywords

  • infectious diseases
  • molecular diagnostics
  • polymerase chain reaction
  • tropical diseases

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